Some have complained that I never criticize President Bush. Well, his big, wasteful, prescription drug benefit was stupid. Not only will it cost a lot more than he said it would, it will also increase the cost of prescription drugs by increasing demand. George Will explains:
The key to cost containment is turning patients into cost-conscious health care shoppers, with a personal financial incentive to reduce the ``optional'' medical problems arising from known risky behavior (imprudent eating, drinking, smoking and driving, inadequate exercise, unsafe sex). Moving away from a third-party payer system means giving individuals ownership of personal health care resources -- those health savings accounts -- which they will have an incentive to husband.But, unfortunately, we're about to have a Presidential campaign where votes are for sale and the voters are price gouging.
Why has the cost of laser eye surgery fallen 22 percent in four years? For the same reason the cost of cosmetic surgery has been rising slower than the inflation rate. These elective procedures are generally paid for by individuals, from their own resources.
