Why do some people think free healthcare is bad?

[TheUnstoppableRobman]

This would all be very nice if it were to happen; but the system is set-up against it. Things you've mentioned such as price fixing will continue to prevent free market principles from working. If we were to reform the system to something that would allow competition to actually occur I would be in favor of it, but don't believe the politicians saying this by itself is a solution.

Hopefully we can agree that this could address pricing issues; but it would need reform before coming anywhere near achieving these goals.

And yeah Adam Smith did talk about insurance

"The Value of risk, either from fire, or from loss by sea, or by capture, though it cannot, perhaps, be calculated very exactly, admits, however, of such a gross estimation as renders it, in some degree, reducible to strict rule and method."

In other parts of his book he mentioned many people going without insurance when they felt the prices were inconsistent with the risk. Which with the new law isn't exactly possible...

I understand that my view's are an idealistic view of capitalism, but what I hoped to outline is that indeed the current system is fighting against the free market which is why we are seeing citizens suffer over healthcare. Truthfully opening up health inurance may not be an end all be all, but I do believe it is a step in the right direction. I am deeply against allmost every new healthcare law, I didn't even know that by 2014 that it would be illegal to not have insurance. I thought they were just establishing a public ooption from the government, which I voted against anyway but oh well.

 

[SaintMorose]

I guess my view on it is it's a step off a cliff.
Sure it maybe in the right direction; but there's no bridge!

"I thought they were just establishing a public option from the government, which I voted against anyway but oh well."

No a public option was encouraging competition too much (to the point at which insurance companies whined it would be too efficient and unfair for them).

So the insurance lobby fought hard to get rid of that. But the inclusion of a law along side to make sure everyone was covered they liked so instead of being forced to sign up to a basic cheap gov't plan (Not something you'd want either but it's many times better than a fine). You are fined and told you must buy insurance if you don't wish to be fined repeatedly.

The kicker most of the repubs who are crying for repeal are not interested in repealing that part of the bill.

Be careful of the side selling you snake oil. As a lot of the establishment in Washington doesn't understand the difference between conservative and corporatist (or at least hope the electorate doesn't).