The Best Advocates Can Say for ObamaCare: “Free Money”

New Mexico Sen. Dede Feldman is a leftist Democrat. She wants government to control all aspects of American health care. She’s settled for the corporatist ObamaCare plan that passed in Washington last year. Recently, in the Albuquerque Journal, Feldman made her pitch for why the Martinez Administration should not opt out or work to abolish the law.

Her argument can be summarized in one word “money.” Specifically, sprinkled throughout the bill are federal funds for the states to help align themselves with the federal law and to supposedly expand coverage. Of course, Feldman doesn’t really mention where all this money is coming from. The answer to that is simple: 1) taxpayers in New Mexico and other states 2) China;

What is needed is not more funding of state programs. Instead, the fundamental payment structure of health care must be addressed. Rather than the individual mandate which locks us into the 3rd party payer system, Congress should consider either abolishing businesses’ tax advantages for health care or extending those to individuals as well. Putting health care decisions back in the hands of individuals (and limiting insurance companies to actual insurance) is the only way to cut costs and improve quality at the same time.

The House of Representatives did a good thing by passing a repeal yesterday, but they need to come up with an alternative plan of their own that relies on free market principles and devolves policymaking to the states. In the meantime, Obama, Feldman, and others will rearrange the deck chairs on the sinking Titanic of ObamaCare.