Submitted by Michael F. Cannon, Jul 31, 2007 10:24

Reggie-

You're right: COBRA can be of little comfort to people who actually need it. Right at the moment of greatest need -- when you've lost your job and still need medical care -- you learn just how much your employer's health plan costs because they charge you the full premium. Actually, 102 percent. If you were charged more than that, someone was breaking the law. (See: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html, under "Who pays for COBRA coverage?")

You're also right that special interests have a tight grip on the politicians, which helps them block any real health care reform. But that is exactly why Mr. Moore's prescription is so dangerous: the more control we give to the government, the more control we give to the special interests. The way I'm trying to help is by returning the vast sums of money controlled by the lobbyists and politicians to the people. That will impose much more discipline on the system, and far fewer people would end up in such dire straits.

If you'd like to talk about this more, you can find me at the Cato Institute's web site: www.cato.org.

To repeat what I told you, John, and Bill when we met in D.C. . . . well, I didn't know how to begin to thank you then, and I still don't.

Michael

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