The U.S. has a voucherized health insurance system. You read that right. Vouchers exist today, and for all of us.
How can this be?
First, what are vouchers? Vouchers are explicit or implicit support by government that reduces the cost of obtaining coverage for health care. By that definition, Medicare is clearly voucherized. All Medicare plans are subsidized, even FFS Medicare.
Is Medicaid subsidized? Of course! The VA. Yes! Employer sponsored insurance. You betcha!
When one recognizes that subsidies that reduce the cost of health insurance are vouchers then it is clear that nearly all Americans are enrolled or will one day enroll in a voucherized health plan. The only difference between the various voucher programs that exist today (but are never called that) are what types of plans qualify for subsidies and how the subsidies are set and indexed. That’s it. The rest is rhetoric, semantics, and spin.
