Why Is Healthcare So Expensive

Healthcare costs are skyrocketing. Since the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010
health care costs have gone up by double digits each year. The health care bill did get more people insured
and helped with issues like preexisting conditions, but the problem with the healthcare law isn't
what it tried to do, it's what it failed to do: reduce costs. The solutions to the cost problem is with
the free market and competition.

Here are just three ideas that could make
a huge difference. Number 1: We can roll back the tax burden
on insurance companies. The ACA added a $60 billion tax on health
insurers, which made them have to charge more to consumers to cover their costs. Taxes roll downhill so a tax on insurers means
higher costs for all of us.

Number 2: We can lower the regulations on
health plans. The ACA has a lot of requirements that force
insurance plans to cover an incredibly big list of benefits. If you want a bare-bones insurance plan that
simply covers catastrophic events like a car accident or cancer you currently can't get
one. By boosting the benefits of every plan it
restricts competition and drives up prices by forcing smaller health insurers out of
the marketplace.

Low-cost catastrophic plans that are normally
purchased by younger, healthier people are no longer available because of the ACA requirements. Introducing as many health insurers to the
marketplace as possible can drive down prices by encouraging businesses to compete to cut
costs. The ACA did the exact opposite: Less competition
and higher prices. Number 3: Encourage medical innovation.

The cost to bring a new drug to market already
exceeds two and half billion dollars. And the ACA places an additional twenty-two
billion dollar tax burden on innovator drug companies, the same businesses that produce
lifesaving medications and cures for those in need. Punishing drug producers forces them to charge
even higher prices to make up for the lost money in research, development, and taxes. If we encourage, not punish drug makers it
will lead to more breakthroughs and lower costs--a win, win for all of us.

As healthcare costs skyrocket, don't forget
that the free market is our best chance to rein them in..