RI Exchange Director does not Understand Free-Markets

Click this link to hear the clip: press conference-wpromentions-clip

At the State’s press conference following the Supreme Court’s decision, WPRO’s Steve Klamkin brings up our Healthcare Freedom Act proposal to Healthcare Exchange Director, Christine Ferguson, who responded by claiming that the current state exchange is already market based.

Ms. Ferguson does not apparently understand what a free-market is. While she and the Governor may believe they are setting up some kind of market-based “exchange”, it is a far cry from what a true free-market exchange would look like:

• It is not a free-market exchange when consumers are COERCED to buy something
• It is not a free-market exchange when it LIMITS the # of private companies that are allowed to sell their products on the exchange
• It is not a free-market exchange when there are over 69 state and federal MANDATES specifying what coverage must be included in insurance products
• It is not a free-market exchange when provider premiums are subject to strict PRICING LIMITS
• It is not a free-market exchange when provider reimbursement rates are mandated by a government agency
• It is not a free-market exchange when a STATE BUREAUCRACY has to be put in place to run it
• It is not a free-market exchange when it falls under the FEDERAL AUTHORITY of the Health and Human Services department
• It is not a “free”-market exchange when insurance provider fees and TAXPAYER FUNDING are required to run the bureaucracy to and to subsidize the purchases of some

In summary, the FREE-MARKET is an exchange in and of itself. It needs no funding, no regulations, and no bureaucracy … consumers choose!

Rhode Islanders want to control their own, very personal healthcare decisions, including:

• the FREEDOM to purchase insurance or not
• multiple CHOICES when it comes what insurance products are available
• ACCESS to affordable and quality care

The only way to achieve these goals is to unleash market forces by removing restrictions and regulations and introducing competition and consumer/patient choices. Our Center’s Policy Brief explains in some detail.

Read the entire policy recommendation here.

Go to our Healthcare homepage here …