December 12th, 2007

New Merrill Matthews Oped Featured Today in the Wall Street Journal, "A Health-Insurance Solution"

Posted in  Health Care 
Author: Erin Fitch || Location: Lewisville, Texas, USA

IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews is featured today in the Wall Street Journal.

In his new oped, “A Health-Insurance Solution,” Matthews discusses the reintroduction of the “The Health Care Choice Act” in Congress by Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona, and how the bill may increase competition and consumer choice when it comes to health insurance.

An excerpt:

"Why can't people living in New Jersey buy health insurance available to residents of, say, Pennsylvania?

Rep. John Shadegg, an Arizona Republican, thinks they should -- and today will reintroduce legislation to make that possible.

The Health Care Choice Act would allow residents in one state to buy health insurance that is available in and regulated by another state. If enacted, the law would create a competitive, 50-state market for health insurance, likely making it cheaper. It would do this without imposing a large cost on taxpayers and without creating a new government bureaucracy.

This should be a no-brainer for Congress. But a few years ago, Mr. Shadegg went looking for a Democratic cosponsor for his bill. He found one who initially signed on, then withdrew under pressure from Democratic House leaders who wanted to dismiss the Shadegg bill with the excuse that it lacked bipartisan support."

To read the full article, please visit the Wall Street Journal online.

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