HB 1273: Politicians cannot “guarantee” health care

Politicians cannot guarantee healthcare, but by trying they can create an unaccountable and toxic insurance monopoly. So beware of Colorado House Bill 1273, which will be heard by the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on March 18.  The Rocky Mountain News described this so-called “Colorado Guaranteed Healthcare Act” as a “Canadian-style, single-payer” bill.  A recent <a href="http://www.healthcareforallcolorado.org/candidates_2008/answers.php”>survey finds that nearly one in four state House members advocate single-payer healthcare.  Their support of such politically-controlled medicine is appalling.

“Universal” Health Care Kills

(Thanks to Amy at the Independence Institute, versions of the following article were published in the Colorado Daily, Hawaii Reporter, and the Salida Mountain Mail.

What good is having medical insurance if you cannot get medical care? Peddlers of “universal health care” — from Hillary, Obama, to Colorado congressional candidate Jared Polis — don’t get this.

“Universal health care” is false advertising for politically-controlled medicine, with government as the “single-payer” monopolistic insurer. But having coverage does not guarantee getting medical care.

Since patients prepay through taxes, medical care appears “free.” Hence, they have strong incentive to over-consume and providers need not compete on price. To contain costs, governments restrict your access to life-saving treatment. In countries with such “universal coverage,” patients die waiting for treatment.