Monday, December 8, 2014

Barnett on How to Finally Kill Obamacare

Georgetown University law professor Randy Barnett has a nice piece in the 12/5/2014 USA Today: "How to finally kill Obamacare".
He highlights the importance of having a positive alternative to offer to Americans.  Some of his suggestions include:

Restore the private insurance market using actuarially based insurance priced according to risk. For example, young people would pay much less than older people.

Restore consumer choice to buy true private insurance limited to the terms they want to pay for, including policies insuring only against the catastrophic health care costs, and medical savings accounts.

Increase competition by allowing state-regulated insurance to be sold across state lines so consumers can keep their policies when moving from one state to another.

Increase equity by extending the tax benefits now available only to employer-based insurance to all health insurance. Like car insurance, you shouldn't have to change health insurance policies when changing jobs.
These reforms would all be excellent steps moving us in the direction of a true free market in health care.  I hope Congress gives his ideas the consideration they deserve.

(Read the full text of "How to finally kill Obamacare".)