There is a dance that is done between the consumers and the producers of goods and services.  It goes something like this: I have something you want and you have money, so I will charge you what I want to and you will buy this - until you find somebody that will give you something comparable or better for less money.  Doctors were no different.  Since before the creation of the United States, doctors would charge their patients a price and the patients would decide if they were getting their money’s worth, or maybe it might be better to try to find somebody else. Doctors were not doing too bad economically, and they could see three or more patients per hour, most hours.  It is generally worth it to see a general practitioner for $20 - 25, and if you felt it wasn’t then you wouldn’t go and spend a few bucks on NyQuil.

Now enter health insurance, the main problem with health insurance is you consumers now getting something for nothing; I am well aware that we pay a monthly premium for coverage, but you will pay that if you go everyday, or never so might as well get your money’s worth, right? Well as this happens the insurance companies institute a copay system to discourage emergency room visits for heartburn, or doctor visits for fatigue or hiccups. Yes, this happens.  Doctor visits, for a general practitioner, are in the $175 - 200, but if you are not on the hook for the bill who cares what the cost is?  So, now enters the benefits of the copay, providers can charge a nominal amount to encourage their customers to decide whether or not they really want to seek treatment for that scratchy throat.  And, the cost of these co-payments: $20 - 25.  What does the extra money go toward?  Certainly not to the doctors, some are worse off now than they were before insurance.  Well some of it goes to paperwork, and mountains of it.

The problem with people getting somebody else to pay for you is, since you don’t care enough to shop around for the most economic price, the prices just continue to rise, and so does the premiums.  For example, the Lasik procedure is not covered by insurance, the price keeps getting more affordable, and the procedure and technology are getting better and better.

The system we have is obviously broken.  The problem is that the market has not been able to function in the midst of six decades of oppressive government involvement.  Like most other industries, socialist tend to claim the free market has brought us here; but , the fact of the matter is it is the absence of the free market that has forced this pathetic situation upon us.  To fix this, the government’s answer (whose presence has been causing this national affliction), is the only answer the government knows: more government involvement will fix this.  More regulation, more mandates, more difficult hurdles for free people to overcome to make the decisions necessary to improve their lives. Awesome!

The best way to fix the health care problem is to outlaw the health insurance companies. However, since that won’t happen, the least they can do is remove the burdensome regulations that cripple our economy.