As Max and I have commented and written about previously, Verla Insko has teamed up with some special interest groups to craft a study group to essentially recommend how to drive North Carolina further down the road to socialized medicine.
Fortunately, the bill to create a Council died, but in this year’s Study Bill the North Carolina Institute of Medicine is authorized "to study issues relating to access to health care." According to the bill, the study is to research and inform the General Assembly about providing "access to appropriate and affordable health care for all North Carolinians." That small word ‘all’ carries a lot of weight – implying that health care is to be viewed as a right in this study. Who is to define what is "appropriate" and "affordable" for 9 million citizens with different needs, resources, preferences etc. is not mentioned.
The good news is that this legislation merely authorizes a one-time study rather than creating an ongoing "council." The results of the study are to be released by Jan. 15, 2009, which leaves less than six months for them to develop their predictable list of government mandates and expanded Medicaid programs.
Anyone willing to bet on the number of words dedicated in their study to the negative consequences of government interference with the health care marketplace?
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