Saturday, January 5, 2008

Wealthy State, Big Spending ... Many Uninsured

The problem with New York

By Tarren R. Bragdon, John LaPlante

Categories: Insurance Regulation, New York

"Why," asks Tarren Bragdon, "does New York spend more on Medicaid -- a health-care program for the poor -- than every other state but still have a larger portion of its population walking around without health insurance than states that spend far less?"

Writing in today's Wall Street Journal (link for subscribers), Bragdon explains that regulations on individual insurance are one reason. (Individual and family policies purchased outside the employer market cost about twice the national average.)

These regulations include community rating, guaranteed issue, and a long list of mandated benefits.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer, meanwhile, wishes to further weaken the private market by expanding government health insurance programs--to families making as much as $80,000 a year.