Why not Medicaid "option"?

Topics: Health
04 Jan 2010

From: Ervan Darnell

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All of the debate over the "public option" seems pointless. We already have
government health insurance, Medicaid (as distinct from Medicare in this
context). All that needs to be done is let people buy into it at cost.
Even the degree of subsidy isn't really a distinction. The last Senate
health care plan includes an "earned income tax credit" to subsidize
insurance and Medicaid has sliding payment scales already.

One of the liberals claims is that government bureaucracy is more efficient.
Seems like duplicating a bureaucracy is a bad start on proving that.

The question is: why invent a new program when it's unnecessary? One theory
is that it was never meant to pass, but was just something to give up in
negotiations later. Another is that "extending Medicaid" will not exploit
liberals flawed economic thinking the same way "public option" will. Thus,
there would be less political support for it.

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All of the debate over the "public option" seems pointless. =A0We=
already have government health insurance, Medicaid (as distinct from Medic=
are in this context). =A0All that needs to be done is let people buy into i=
t at cost. =A0Even the degree of subsidy isn't really a distinction. =
=A0The last Senate health care plan includes an "earned income tax cre=
dit" to subsidize insurance and Medicaid has sliding payment scales al=
ready.

One of the liberals claims is that government bureaucra=
cy is more efficient. =A0Seems like duplicating a bureaucracy is a bad star=
t on proving that.
The question is: why invent a n=
ew program when it's unnecessary? =A0One theory is that it was never me=
ant to pass, but was just something to give up in negotiations later. =A0An=
other is that "extending Medicaid" will not exploit liberals flaw=
ed economic thinking the same way "public option" will. =A0 Thus,=
there would be less political support for it. =A0

v>

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