An interesting piece by Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) in the Wall St. Journal this morning about an inventive plan to provide health insurance to nearly everybody in the state. Unlike ill-advised government takeover plans proposed in the past, this one works without raising taxes and uses the existing health care infrastructure.
Health care has always been a difficult issue for me. My gut tells me that running the health care system through for-profit businesses has introduced price gouging and abuse—anybody who has fought with an insurance company or had to pay out-of-pocket for care should agree. But, on the other hand, I’ve seen government destroy our public schools through incompetence and I’d hate to see them do the same to our hospitals and pharmacies.
Romney’s plan for Massachusetts seems to be an interesting middle path. It’s worth a serious look.
- Health Care for Everyone? We’ve Found a Way (Wall St. Journal; free email subscription may be required).