To Make Medicine Affordable, Allow Competition

Another question given to candidates by the Utah League of Women Voters:

"Given the Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act, what do you think the legislature needs to do next to ensure adequate health care for all Utahns?"

If we can see some reasons why health care has became so expensive, why not work on correcting those problems? And, I say, I do wonder but what we should be able to clearly see some of the causes.

One of them, is the restrictions we have placed on competition.

We reduce competition in many ways. We license extensively. We limit the insurance choices at the workplace. We require doctors to be part of our network before we can see them. We limit the number of medical schools in the state. We have patent rights limiting who can produce drugs and medical devices.

I suppose, if I thought awhile, I could come up with other examples.

Some of these restrictions might be good, even necessary, but we should look at each one, and ask if it should not at least be loosened. Most of us agree that a free market is vital to keeping prices in line. Why, then, at a time we are crying so loudly for affordable care, do we not consider this approach? Why not look at each situation where we are restricting competition and seek to allow more?

This being America -- of all nations the nation that champions the free market -- shouldn't this be the first place we look to correct this problem? Yet, rare it is that this solution is even mentioned, even considered.

We cannot legislate affordable health care without practicing the principles that will make it happen.