Results of Ryan Plan
Although unsaid, and not proven, the Ryan plan anticipates that the cost of health care will be less under his voucher plan because the patient will have skin in the game and use his vouchers more wisely.
The flaw under the voucher system is each individual will need to buy the best insurance he can with the voucher and then we are back in the same boat. What the health industry charges for its services and how often the services are used are back in the hands of the providers, with the cost covered by the insurance companies.
The cost of insurance will then rise faster than the value of the voucher and health will decline.
The Declaration of Independence says "... that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The question is are wealthier Americans deserving of a healthier, longer life than the less wealthy? If we are a nation believing in basic Judeo/Christian values the answer is no.
Update: August 22, 2011: Here is a good comparison of proposed Medicare plans.
Remember the strong pseudo-Calvinist strain in our polity which actually is _fine_ with the wealthier being better off in all ways than those below them---those on top are obviously of the Elect, and to Hell with the Damned.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of us should just be grateful that we can leech of their wondrous creativity, and that they permit us each a vote equal to that of our obvious betters---but of course, if they have their way, that vote will determine who runs a government that can do little but protect the rights of property-holders, all real decisions will be made in the Market where (e.g.) William Gates III has about 50,000 times as many votes as do I, and more than that for the mean American.
So you are saying the amount of the voucher each year will not keep up with the increase in cost of health care so my insurance company will charge me a premium higher than the voucher I receive from the government?
ReplyDeleteIf that is the case I am better off with ObamaCare right?