July 22, 2009

Doctors start their careers with an oath: “First, do no harm.” Obviously, politicians don’t take an oath like that, because President Obama’s healthcare reform plan is the classic case of a “cure” that’s worse than the disease. But, tragically, misplaced belief in seven dangerous myths about the plan is deceiving many well-meaning people into supporting ObamaCare: 

Myth #1: Everyone will have access to good healthcare.

It doesn’t take an economic whiz-kid to predict what happens when government gets involved in providing anything for free, or at a below-market price. The laws of supply and demand kick in and, next thing you know, more people want more of that thing. But, at the new low price, fewer people are willing to supply as much of that thing. So there is a shortage. And so there will be a shortage of medical care under the Obama plan. And when there is a shortage but prices aren’t allowed to rise, there is only one way to decide who gets the care: rationing. Some will get access to the care they need, but you may not.

Myth #2: Healthcare costs will be brought under control.

There is no economic or historical reason to believe more government entanglement in healthcare will lower the actual cost of providing the care. Yes, it is possible under ObamaCare for costs to patients to be lower in some cases, but that’s only the cost billed to the patient and it’s not the whole story.  As proven time and time again by the government’s massive involvement in healthcare through existing Medicare and Medicaid programs, artificially low costs to patients only end up driving costs to taxpayers higher and higher. Even the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office is warning that costs will skyrocket if Obama’s plan is enacted. Under ObamaCare, costs will rise and you will pay.

Myth #3: Healthcare will be fairer.

Right now, the vast majority of us get all the healthcare we want. We pay for that care out of pocket or indirectly, through medical insurance. We have a giant safety net (Medicare, Medicaid, and related programs) to provide care for our poor, our elderly, and our children. Still, under the current system, a small minority of people fall through the cracks and have trouble getting care. Under ObamaCare, everyone will have access to care in theory, but in reality, because rationing is always necessary in any economic system that won’t let prices do their usual job of deciding who gets what, some people will still fall through the cracks. But under ObamaCare, administrators and bureaucrats will decide who falls through the cracks and you or your loved ones may be arbitrarily forced onto endless waiting lists or denied the treatments you need, even though you have diligently saved and planned to afford your own care.

Myth #4: Patients will have freedom of choice.