Paul Krugman’s latest column is an economic, historical and ethical mess. While his diagnosis of the problem is partially true (rising insurance premiums in employment-based health care have stifled job growth), his answer is more of the same: increased government intervention.
He does not address government mandates, such as community rating, and their role in making health care unaffordable. He does not discuss what brought about the current system of third-party insurance, which insulates consumers from costs. And he misses entirely the nature of insurance itself.