THE NEW YORK POST – Fifteen senators and more than 100 House members recently introduced legislation that would launch a federal takeover of the US health-insurance system and install “Medicare for All.”
“We live in a country where millions of people ration lifesaving medication or skip necessary trips to the doctor because of cost,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the lead sponsor in the House and a longtime advocate of single-payer health care.
“I’m so proud to fight for this legislation to finally ensure that all people can get the care they need and the care they deserve.”
People are understandably upset when an insurance company forces them to jump through hoops or pay thousands of dollars to gain access to a drug they need — or denies coverage outright.
Progressives capitalize on this outrage by promising a benevolent government will do better — and guarantee access to the therapies they need.
But that’s simply not true.
Government-run health-care systems the world over make far fewer drugs available to their denizens than does the comparatively free US market.
And in the United States, patients have recourse when a private insurer hands down a coverage decision they don’t like.
Democrats will tell you everything about ‘Medicare for All’ — except the price
Under a government-run health-care system, there is no process to appeal.
When a company launches a new drug in the United States, it tries to set a price that will foster enough sales to recoup the millions or billions of dollars it spent bringing the drug to market, as well as a profit margin to reward its investors and fund future research and development efforts.
Private insurers negotiate fiercely with drug companies over those prices — and may be able to extract concessions based on the sales volume they can deliver or whether they’ll nudge their beneficiaries toward the drug over competing drugs …
