Tea Party Health Care Reform Platform

As a long time proponent of limited government, a supporter of Ron Paul during his 2008 presidential campaign, and now an active participant in the Tea Party protests, I figured it is about time I lay out my health care positions. Even better, I'm going to simplify the counter-arguments against the Democrat/Obamacare proposals to only five basic precepts.

1. We can't afford it.
The federal government is spiraling towards bankruptcy. With all the bailouts, the falling revenues, overseas adventures, and countless social services, we literally can't afford to spend any more money. We're spending more than 100 billion dollars a month than we're taking in (or printing). We can't afford what we have now, and we want to spend more?!? If anything, we need to CUT SPENDING dramatically.

2. Tort Reform.
Doctors perform unnecessary (and expensive) tests so they don't get sued. They charge more to pay for malpractice insurance. We need an overhaul of the legal system so doctors can do what they think is best for the patients instead of covering their rears. If a doctor screws up he should lose his certification.

3. Lower costs by tossing regulations.
You can't buy health insurance across state lines, which reduces competition and keeps prices up. You can't go to unlicensed practitioners (who would be less expensive). Natural foods with legitimate health benefits are prohibited from advertising them at all by the FDA. Importing drugs from outside the country is illegal, and prescription drug companies have lobbied Congress for decades for "regulations" that keep competitors out and prices high. Countless mandates and regulations are stifling and overpowering free-market forces, creating burgeoning bureaucracies and inflating prices. Legalize drugs while your at it!

4. End subsidies that increase costs/rationing.
Medicare, Medicaid, Prescription Drug Benefits, even the VA are all making health care more expensive for the rest of us. This is because they pay up the maximum amount for services, patients get as much care as they can because they aren't paying for it (directly at least), and payments are immune to market forces so potential competitors cannot compete and prices stay high. So naturally the Democrats want to throw more government money into the pool, increasing the demand (but not the supply), which will inevitably lead to lines and rationing. Instead we need to prevent new people from going on these expensive programs, fulfill our obligations to people already on them, and eventually dismantle them entirely, and let the free market fulfill this obviously high demand for services.

5. Maximize choice and personal freedoms.
I cannot conceive of anything more small scale and local than my own body. Abandon all Federal oversight and turn the whole mess over to the states/counties/cities where people can vote for whatever crazy regulations they think they want, see what works, and flee the region when it all comes crashing down in flames. Will Democrats really want Conservatives making health determinations for them when they're back in power? Its my body, and 90% of the time I'm going to know whats best for me, not some distant bureaucracy.


Lurker


http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=172
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul339.html