All areas of health care that are regulated are experiencing huge price increases. Areas that are not regulated, like LASIK surgery (which I had in 1999), are experiencing price drops.
According to the federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics the cost of the Lasik procedure has dropped from $2,106 in 1999 to $1,626 in 2004! The quality of the procedure has also improved dramatically, even though the cost has fallen.
The Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act itself is a very modest attempt to get choice back into the health care equation. By “choice” I do not mean making the decision that people who haven’t done anything to earn it will be given money taken from other people in order to fund their various ailments. That’s not a long term solution to anything, as demonstrated by the cost of the “prescription drug benefit” which is more than double the amount of theft initially promised.
In my lifetime, I am unaware of any federally administered program that has actually seen cost decreases. If the Fed was in charge of television production, it is my opinion that I would not be able to afford the 52″ LCD hanging on my wall. Do you know of a federal program that has actually reduced costs for the product or service being administered? Let me know about it!
If you agree with me that Congress doesn’t need to be overseeing a health care monopoly then please head over to Downsize DC and sign up to make your voice heard.