An example

On how and why the government makes health care more expensive.

"I'm not doing an insurance business," he said. "I'm just providing my services at my place during certain hours."

He says he can afford to charge such a small amount because he doesn't have to process mountains of paperwork and spend hours on billing.

"If they leave me alone, I can serve thousands of patients," he said.

The state believes his plan runs afoul of the law because it promises to cover unplanned procedures - like treating a sudden ear infection - under a fixed rate. That's something only a licensed insurance company can do.

"The law is strict on how insurance is defined," said an Insurance Department spokesman.

A possible solution that Muney's lawyer crafted would force patients to pay more than $10 for unplanned procedures.

They are waiting to see if the state will accept the compromise. Still, Muney is unhappy because, he said, "I really don't want to charge more. They're forcing me."

One of his patients, Matthew Robinson, 52, was furious to learn the state was interfering with the plan.

"The whole point is, he [Muney] found a way of paying his rent, paying his workers, and getting to see patients for the price," said Robinson.

"How can the state dictate you've got to charge more?"

I found the article in the comments to this piece, where Kevin Baker drives yet another point home:

I'd love the opportunity to pay only $225/mo. for the whole thing, myself, and carry it with me no matter where I live or who I work for. But the current insurance laws prohibit that.

The problem we have isn't just with the insurance companies (although I'm willing to bet that they're in bed with the government who wrote the laws), but with the government who's writing laws that make it more difficult to get health care!

This is what happens when you elect Lords and Masters instead of Representatives. The Lords and Masters tell you what to do instead of the opposite. And by the time it's codified into law, what are you going to do about it, you stupid peasant? Pay your tithes like a good serf and go back to work!

Are you happy yet? Have you had enough yet?