Grand Rapids is a burgeoning medical center, with the new Michigan State University College of Human Medicine serving as the latest evidence. However, the current plans in Congress will seriously alter our future development in this area. West Michigan’s conservative streak may have consequences.

           Today, on a conference call, Representative Shadegg (AZ) stated that all of the current health care bills in the House and Senate will usher in “Soviet-style” health care in America. Specifically, he pointed out that the quality of our health care benefits may well be determined by the seniority, influence, or political affiliation of the Senators or Representatives who represent the state in which we live.

           Representative Shadegg pointed out a few telling examples to illustrate his point. First, Harry Reid (NV) added a provision to one of the Senate bills that would give four extra-special states, including Nevada, federal dollars to cover the state’s portion of the Medicaid expansion for four years. Harry is of course proud to fight “the good fight for Nevada.” Second, Debbie Stabenow (MI) and John Kerry (MA) have added a $5 billion measure to help cover the cost of union health care benefit plans for members below Medicare age, proving that it sure is nice to be a favorite son of the majority party. Third, Senator Menendez (NJ) has attached an amendment that gives tax breaks to “emerging” biotech companies. Approximately 86% of New Jersey’s biotech firms qualify for the credit.  

          These are just a few early examples of the type of health care system we will soon have in America. Representative Shadegg is exactly correct to label this type of unnatural selection as “Soviet-style.” When our political masters are given control over matters so central to our lives and well-being, we become easily managed. The political majority gains even more power by delivering life-giving services in an unequal fashion to those people, groups, and organizations that are most loyal.

          The market, even with inequities, does not evoke the same intuition of unfairness and injustice precisely because some basic opportunity for self-determination is present. Clearly, the medical industry and the health insurance industry are highly regulated, but a regulated market is still much freer than the state-run system. The capacity to change jobs, work more hours, and petition for charity offers individuals the ability to make rational decisions. If the favoritism outlined here prevails, individual health benefits, a basic requirement of modern life, will be determined by the majority party. Representative Shadegg’s warnings do indeed ring true, especially, if these early acts of statist-favoritism are allowed to persist. Suddenly, the lessons of Solzhenitsyn gain pressing relevance.