Single-payer, Obamacare, and the crisis of “free” healthcare

If Bernie Sanders and a slew of upcoming Democratic presidential candidates have their way, everyone will have “free” healthcare in no time. The problem, of course, is that nothing’s free. We’re all going to have to pay for it.

The pitch they’re making is a version of socialism that weaponizes healthcare. It allows for massive taxation to be the ultimate provider for everyone’s healthcare needs. In an ideal world, everyone would see the lunacy of this idea that pulls completely away from the free-market principles upon which this nation was built and has thrived. Unfortunately, it’s easy for the Democrats to sell a plan to people by telling them healthcare is a right and therefore they shouldn’t have to pay for it.

Here’s what’s being said from around the web:

Perspectives

Single-Payer Health Care & Obamacare Debate | Jim Geraghty, National Review

The coverage of health care rarely suggests that public support for single payer is a mile wide but an inch deep. But this Kaiser poll from July is usefully illustrative. It found that a majority (55 percent) supports “single-payer,” but when respondents hear the argument that it would give the government “too much control,” then 61 percent oppose it.

Bernie Sanders Is Leaving Out One Tiny, Little Important Detail in His Single Payer Bill | Joe Cunningham, RedState

This is the tell that Sanders knows the bill never had a shot to begin with, and that this is a campaign stunt. He wants to be able to say the evil Republicans want you to have either bad health care or no health care at all, and their opposition to the “wildly popular” single-payer plan is just a sign that they are in Big Insurance’s pocket.

What Bernie’s single-payer bill means (and what it doesn’t) | Sam Baker, Axios

Where each Democrat ends up could be very different, and could stop far short of true single-payer. Even”Medicare for all” isn’t true single-payer. Most Medicare beneficiaries buy private supplemental coverage to fill in gaps the government program doesn’t cover. Its drug benefit is largely privately administered.

GOP senators push last-ditch bill to repeal Obamacare | Tom Howell Jr., Washington Times

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said the plan offers Republicans their last crack at repeal before a Sept. 30 deadline to get something done under the 2017 budget, which helps the GOP avoid a Democratic filibuster.

Reactions

When you start to point out elementary criticisms of single-payer healthcare, public support drops dramatically: pic.twitter.com/nZdG02x7rp

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) September 13, 2017

Democrats now want to pass a single payer hc plan that CA would pass if it wouldn't go broke in literally minutes. Chew on that, America.

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) September 13, 2017

We're $20 trillion in debt. Now is NOT the time to be talking about national single-payer. We need less DC in healthcare, not more.

— Federalist Party (@Federalists_USA) September 13, 2017

Bernie Sanders's bill hand-waves away all the obstacles facing single-payer. It's not a step forward at all. https://t.co/p9YuHfddz7 pic.twitter.com/pZZ9Szlg05

— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 13, 2017

This but for single-payer pic.twitter.com/vcOfY9Jswy

— Matt Bors (@MattBors) September 13, 2017

Democrats who support single-payer health care: pic.twitter.com/TmN2sGr93c

— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) September 13, 2017

Final Thoughts

This is the ultimate case of “careful what you wish for” as most Democrats and a growing number of uninformed Americans embrace this concept. It’s not just the fact that we cannot afford it; Medicare in its current state is already expanding our $20 trillion debt. Perhaps worse is that across the world it’s been demonstrated that socialized medicine reduces quality of care. Let’s make sure more Americans are aware before this false hope spreads uncontrollably.