A Sad Case of Reform

So the Senate and the House have passed the "Health Care Reform" Bill. Weeee!!! Just what the nation needs another multi-billion entitlement program. Here's hoping the two bunch of idiots can't get this pork fest reconciled. There is still a very slim chance that America could dodge this very costly bullet. But sadly I doubt it. While it would be nice to have this bill die an unceremonious and permanent death, there is too much money to spread around and the Democrats have too much riding on this to give up...ever. Something will pass. But it will not be reform. It will be expensive. It will enhance government control over an already over regulated portion of America's economy, the health care industry. And regardless of what the Democrats claim, it will increase the deficit and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. And perhaps most sadly, it will be yet another step towards a single-payer socialist health care system in this nation.

If this comes to pass, taxes will increase, patient choice will end and health care innovation will suffer greatly. And if this occurs people will die. I'm not trying to be a radical alarmist but this is true. America is the global center of health care technology. The top hospitals in the world are in America and these are the great innovators. Socialized medicine will bring an end to this leadership and once again America will hand-off its leadership to nations willing to embrace market forces and trust in capitalism. Already India produces a large number of doctors and health care specialists, and ironically China, a supposedly communist nation, too will surpass America in health care technology.

If Congress and the President really cared about the state of health care in America they would ease regulations and allow the market to determine health care prices. As nearly every large government program has already aptly illustrated, the government makes for a very poor manager and never increases efficiency. Perhaps its time to once again trust in the idea of capitalism and free markets. Perhaps then we will finally have affordable health care for all.