Check Your Freedom at the Door

By Kent Masterson Brown
Cato Institute

Hillary Clinton and John Edwards promise to deliver "universal coverage," through some combination of government and private health insurance. Many on the left would prefer government coverage for everyone. Dennis Kucinich and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman advocate "Medicare for all," and even Clinton proposes to open Medicare or a similar program to all comers.

Among the dangers of universal coverage is that when the system fails, patients may find they no longer have freedom to spend their own money to get the medical care they need. This threat to patient autonomy exists right here at home in the U.S. Medicare program.