Health care reformers say they have two
objectives: to enable the uninsured and under-insured to consume
more medical services than they consume now, and to keep the prices
of those services from rising, as they have been, faster than the
prices of other goods and services. Unfortunately, Economics 101
tells us that to accomplish those two things directly—increased
consumption by one group and lower prices—the government would have
to take a third step: rationing. The reformers are disingenuous
about this last step, writes Sheldon Richman, and for good reason.
People don’t like rationing, especially of medical care.