Big-government politicians often promise that more government control will make health care cheaper and easier for everyday Americans. But after years of mandates, subsidies, and burdensome regulations, families are paying more than ever, while having fewer choices.
If progressive health care policies worked, families wouldn’t be dealing with rising premiums, shrinking doctor networks, and higher taxes. The problem is too much government involvement and not enough control by patients and doctors.
It’s no secret that American health care is expensive.
There are solutions to this, but you won’t hear progressives talking about them.
Progressive health care plans depend on heavy government spending. When Washington steps in, it usually sends taxpayer dollars to insurance companies rather than fixing what’s driving up costs.
The Affordable Care Act is the clearest example. Over time, mandates expanded and subsidies grew, while premiums continued to rise — and remember, the architects of this program told us that premiums would go down $2,500 a year!
Today, ACA premium tax credits cost taxpayers more than $125 billion per year, jumping sharply during the pandemic when income limits were removed, allowing virtually anyone to sign up.
Enrollment doubled during these expansions, from 11.4 million in 2020 to over 24 million by 2025. Included in this increase were 6.4 million people who were fraudulently enrolled and “phantom enrollees,” who filed zero medical claims but made up 40% of participants.
These subsidies and regulations didn’t solve rising prices. They simply masked them and guaranteed further revenue for insurance companies.
Progressive health care policies rely on one-size-fits-all rules written by bureaucrats in Washington.
Under the ACA, insurance plans are mandated to cover a long list of “essential health benefits,” even if families don’t want or need them. This means more expensive plans for everyone, and forces younger, healthier Americans to make tough choices about their insurance.
At the state level, additional regulations called certificate-of-need laws can make things worse. These regulations require new hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices to obtain government permission before construction can begin.
These laws protect established providers from competition and reduce access — especially in rural areas, where options are already limited.
As a result of CON laws:
Many states have already made progress in repealing or reforming CON laws, but there’s still work to do.
Many lawmakers claim their policies help consumers. But the results tell a different story.
ACA subsidies don’t go to patients. They go directly to insurance companies. When Washington subsidies increase, insurers have less pressure to compete or lower prices, as the taxpayers are guaranteed to cover the cost as prices rise.
Since the ACA became law, health insurance premiums have roughly tripled, while deductibles have doubled. This means families are paying more every month just to keep coverage, while insurance companies bring in record profits.
At the same time, access to doctors has narrowed.
ACA plans often have limited provider networks, leaving patients with fewer choices and longer wait times for basic care.
Pandemic-era expansions made this even worse as insurance brokers were incentivized to sign people up, regardless of qualifications, need, or even patient consent in some cases.
Rather than supporting personal choice, alternative care, or value shopping, subsidies and regulations incentivize big insurance companies to raise prices at the taxpayer’s expense.
Ultimately, progressive health care policies fail because they assume Washington knows what your family needs better than you do.
Health care should be like shopping online, not like waiting in line at the DMV.
In reality, no bureaucrat understands your health, your family, or your budget like you do. When government makes these overreaching decisions, competition declines and costs rise. When individuals can make decisions, competition increases, and costs fall.
This is because customers can:
Health care is expensive because big-government policies block this process. Mandates limit care options. Regulations restrict competition. Subsidies disincentivize price transparency.
A system built on personal choice works differently. When individuals control their own health care decisions, they pick what care they need, when they need it, and how much they’re willing to pay. Providers respond by lowering prices and increasing value.
Tools like health savings accounts and direct primary care are ways to increase choice, but ultimately, Washington will have to learn to take a hands-off approach to health care if Americans want to see lower premiums and lower taxes.
Dive deeper: Learn about Americans for Prosperity’s plan to make health care affordable.
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