Nothing irritates conservatives more than when Michael Moore refers to free healthcare. Obviously, it is not free, and the distraction only fuels the anti-liberal attacks that Moore takes on. Unfortunately, the political attacks don’t allow us to get down to the costs and a comprehensive cost benefit analysis comparing today’s health “system” and a proposed national health care plan.

Nothing represents more clearly our insistence on free market principles and competition than the way healthcare is delivered today. This is evident in every political debate for both parties. The Republicans bash “government run healthcare”, even though their party passed the Medicare bill in 2003. The Democrats are proposing mixed models, trying to preserve the godlike free market and profiteering of the major players involved. While Medicare provides medical benefits for a dramatically growing population that is aging and living longer, the rest of the working folks pretty much need to rely on their employers for health coverage. But the number of people privately insured is not as big as you think. In fact, about 60% of healthcare is publicly funded. (more…)