Opinion: Health reform plans would only 'make things worse'

Michael F. Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, argues in an opinion piece in the Washington Times that the health reform plans that are being drafted by President-elect Barack Obama and the Democratic leadership in Congress are doomed to fail because of their cost and because they will cause millions to lose established relationships with doctors (Source: “CANNON: Avoiding health-care chaos,” Washington Times, Dec. 28, 2008).

“The leading plans would cost lives by effectively nationalizing health insurance and impeding innovations that make medicine better, cheaper and safer,” Cannon wrote.

"An intolerable status quo is no excuse for making things worse," Cannon added. "The center-right needs to mobilize now to stop left-wing Democrats from taking another large leap toward socialized medicine."