The American Spectator

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Mandatory Porsches

By Robert Stacy McCain on 6.28.08 @ 9:16AM

How would you like to drive a Porsche? In the special July/August double edition of the ink-and-paper American Spectator (you can click here to subscribe now for the low, low price of $19.95 a year) Philip Klein explains how government regulations drive up the cost of health insurance:

In New York, a father seeking to buy a typical health insurance policy for his family could lease a Porsche for what it would cost him to pay the monthly premiums. Some would dismiss this as a mere reflection of the fact that things tend to cost more in New York. But that doesn't explain why in neighboring Connecticut as well as in California -- two states that rank right up there with New York for the highest cost of living -- a family policy costs less than half what it does in the Empire State. . . .
J.P. Wieske, director of public affairs at the Council for Affordable Health Insurance, helps compile an annual list of health insurance mandates imposed by the states. . . . Some of the benefits companies have been forced to cover include: in vitro fertilization, morbid obesity treatment, and lockjaw disorders. Some states require coverage of specialists including acupuncturists, pastoral counselors, marriage therapists, and massage therapists. Additionally, several states have imposed so-called "slacker mandates" allowing parents to keep grown children on their health-care policy until the age of 30. . . .
The report that Wieske co-authored estimated that such mandates can add anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent to the price tag of a health insurance policy, depending on the state and the type of mandate. It's no coincidence that New York, one of the most regulated states, is also among the most expensive.

Philip's article examines free-market alternatives to government-controlled health care. And you can subscribe now to make sure you see it.

topics:
Health Care