Republican Hypocrisy on Health Care

In a move motivated by politics rather than good economics,

The Republican Party issued a new salvo in the health debate Monday with a "seniors' health care bill of rights" that opposed any moves to trim Medicare spending.

This "Medicare Manifesto" aims to rally seniors against Obamacare.

The problem is that Medicare spending is excessive and should be cut, with or without Obamacare. Medicare, like all subsidies for health and health insurance, encourages excessive use of the health care system by shielding patients from the full costs of the health care they consume.

One approach to reigning in Medicare is to phase in a higher age of eligibility, since life expectancy and health at older ages have increased substantially since Medicare was created in 1965.

A second approach is to expand co-pays and deductibles. This both reduces expenditure and encourages beneficiaries to think more about what care they really need.

Either way, Medicare should be reduced or eliminated. Opposing government health insurance by defending government health insurance is disingenuous, at best, and utlimately counterproductive.