June 20, 2011 12:55PM 

# Here We Go Again: ObamaCare’s Preventive-Care Subsidies Aren’t ‘Free’ 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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In [press release](http://www.cms.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=3987&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&sr), a new [video](http://www.youtube.com/CMSHHSgov#p/u/0/ALyKuNUTMwM), and an elusive new report, the Obama administration is boasting about the “free” preventive services that [ObamaCare](www.cato.org/bad-medicine/) provides to Medicare enrollees.

Here we go again.

First, these preventive-care subsidies [are](https://www.cato.org/dear-health-care-journos-theres-nothing-free-about-obamacare/) [not](https://www.cato.org/theres-nothing-free-about-obamacare-contd/) “free.” They are costing taxpayers dearly by adding to America’s $14 trillion national debt. There is no such thing as a free lunch. And there is nothing “free” about ObamaCare.

Second, ObamaCare supporters have claimed that more preventive care would reduce health care spending, but research [shows](https://www.cato.org/1-oz-prevention-1-oz-cure/) that it will not.

Third, I hope someone is keeping track of all the taxpayer dollars this administration has wasted trying to convince the American people that they’re wrong to [dislike](pollster.com/polls/us/healthplan.php) ObamaCare.

Finally, if the $250 checks that ObamaCare sent to millions of Medicare enrollees didn’t make this law popular among seniors, I doubt these indirect subsidies will.

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care), [Center for Representative Government](https://www.cato.org/center-representative-government), [Public Opinion](https://www.cato.org/public-opinion) 

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