In a previous post, I wrote the following about friend and debate partner Sally Pipes:
And I’m now prepared to induct John Stossel into the Anti‐Universal Coverage Club. Sally Pipes I’m still not sure about; you can judge for yourself when the IQ2 folks post the transcript of the debate here.
My intention was not to disparage Pipes. The Anti‐Universal Coverage Club exists to challenge the idea that government should pursue a policy of universal health insurance coverage. Some free‐marketers believe that’s a fine goal, so long as government goes about it using market mechanisms. At our recent Intelligence Squared debate, Pipes remarked:
By supporting universal choice in health care, and empowering consumers, we will achieve universal coverage.
Pipes is one of the leading opponents of government‐run health care. When I heard that remark, though, I thought perhaps Pipes might fall into that aforementioned group of free‐marketers. So I didn’t want to induct her into the Anti‐Universal Coverage Club if that’s not her thing.
Colleagues of Pipes objected to my blog post. In an email to me, Pipes writes:
I support allowing the market to work resulting in more choice for consumers. The government should not be involved.
I did not mean to suggest anything to the contrary, but I can see why they would think I had. I apologize to Pipes and her colleagues.