In this article, National Center for Policy Analysis President John Goodman tells us that any of the national health care proposals currently being offered up will increase a government rationing of care.
Goodman notes:
there is a common pattern among all the health care proposals coming from the left: they envision expanding Medicaid and lowering the age of eligibility for Medicare.
"What that means is putting millions of people into health plans that pay below market rates. And if you have millions of people paying below market rates, then it's going to be hard for them to get health care," he contends.
The difficulty of folks accessing health care providers will be twofold. With more people enrolled in government subsidized plans, more consumers will be shielded from the cost of health care services and demand will increase.
On the supply side, fewer providers will be around to treat the consumers. As mentioned here previously, a doctor shortage is already emerging and will be worsened by the plans currently under consideration in DC.
We can look to NC's expanding Medicaid program over the last several years for an example of how this works.
As I documented here, Medicaid recipients grew by 28% from 2001 to 2007. Meanwhile, the number of physicians enrolled as Medicaid providers shrank by 23%, and the number of Hospitals serving Medicaid patients fell by 61%. In other words, more patients chasing down fewer providers. Hello longer wait times and rationing of care.
Leave a Comment