Mike Coffman for more politically-controlled medicine
September 3rd, 2009 | by Brian Schwartz |Ari Armstrong points out that State Representative Mike Coffman (6th District) claims to want less government involvement, but advocates more:
In a July 30 article for the Denver Post, Rep. Mike Coffman criticizes “increasing the government’s involvement in our health care system.” Why, then, is that what he promotes?
Coffman wants politicians to “require health insurers to cover those with pre-existing conditions.” But prior political interference is precisely what created the problem. Tax policy pushed many Americans into the expensive, non-portable employer-paid system. Lose your job, lose your insurance. Politicians burden insurers with reams of ever-changing controls, undercutting their ability to offer long-term policies.
Forcing insurers to ignore pre-existing conditions only encourages people to wait to get insurance until they get sick, leading to Massachusetts-style mandates.
Coffman is right to want to limit frivolous legal suits and ease the tax burden for individual purchases of health care. The solution is not more political control but liberty.
For how a free-market would mitigate the problem of pre-existing conditions, see How health-status insurance addresses pre-existing conditions problem. Also, check out how guaranteed issue and community rating laws increase premiums and the number of uninsured.
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tags: Colorado health care, Mike Coffman, Republicans & health care
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