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Some, including

Krugman, support the Obama plan because it

greatest trick that supporters of socialized

would lead to socialized medicine. Krugman

medicine ever played was to convince the

Paul Krugman,

American people we don't already have it.27

writes hopefully that the Obama plan (and oth-

support the

er major Democratic plans) "could evolve into

The reasonable definition suggested here

single-payer over time."33 "Single-payer" is short-

Obama plan

(socialized medicine exists to the extent that

government controls medical resources and

hand for a health care system, like Canada's,

because it would

socializes the costs) allows for gradations of

where the government pays all the bills. Even

lead to socialized

socialism and makes sense of the public's belief

health policy analysts consider single-payer a

form of socialized medicine.34

that Medicare and universal coverage constitute

medicine.

socialized medicine. Medicare gives government

Finally, Obama himself belies that absurdi-

enormous control over the medical resources

ty. He has repeatedly signaled his support for a

consumed by beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries

single-payer health care system. In 2003,

alike.28 Universal coverage likewise requires

Obama stated, "I happen to be a proponent of

a single-payer, universal health care plan."35 At a

extensive government controls, as markets will

not provide health insurance to everyone.

town hall meeting in August 2008, Obama

Harvard health economist David Cutler writes,

responded to a question about the single-payer

"Universal coverage necessarily means a larger

concept, "If I were designing a system from

role for government than is the case now."29

scratch, I would probably go ahead with a sin-

gle-payer system." He then hinted that, once

implemented, his reform plan could take Krug-

Conclusion

man and like-minded supporters where they

ultimately want to go: "my attitude is let's build

up the system we got . . . [and] we may . . . over

This definition also suggests that Obama's

time . . . decide that there are other ways for us

health care plan, and indeed all attempts at uni-

to provide care more effectively."36

versal coverage, would socialize medicine even

further. Though no rigorous projections have

Unfortunately, such absurdities often pass

been done on the Obama plan, the Lewin

for impartial journalism and informed com-

Group estimates that a similar plan would

mentary at major media outlets and policy

enroll 40 million people in a new government

organizations, while one-sided events staged to

insurance program, which would be akin to

arrive at foregone conclusions often pass for

doubling the Medicare rolls. The Lewin Group

debate.

projects that plan would increase federal spend-

At the Urban Institute forum, Susan

ing by more than $140 billion per year,30 which

Dentzer, editor-in-chief of the journal Health

some observers consider a vast underestimate.31

Affairs, remarked, "The people who like social-

ized medicine don't call it that."37 Indeed they

Further, Obama's proposed National Health

Insurance Exchange would let government dic-

don't, but they really can't blame others for

tate who must purchase coverage, how much

doing so. There's more substance than smear to

coverage they must purchase, and the premi-

the charge.

ums for every insurance policy in the nation.

Reasonable people can disagree over

Notes

whether Obama's health plan would be good

or bad. But to suggest that it is not a step

1. Obama `08, "The Blueprint for Change: Barack

toward socialized medicine is absurd.

Obama's Plan for America," http://www.baracko

bama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf.

Public opinion belies that absurdity. The

Harvard/Harris poll reports that, of those

2. See Obama `08, "Barack Obama's Plan for a

who claim to know what socialized medicine

Healthy America: Lowering Health Care Costs and

is, 57 percent believe Obama supports it.32

Ensuring Affordable, High-Quality Health Care for

All," http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/Health

Obama's supporters belie that absurdity.

PlanFull.pdf.

Some, including New York Times columnist Paul

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