Ryan Ellis and Patrick Gleason of Americans for Tax Reform penned an op-ed in the OC Register, which was published today. It is entitled "More Mandates Last Thing we Need." From the article,

"Health insurance mandates drive up the cost of health insurance significantly. According to a recent study by the Council for Affordable Health Insurance, insurance mandates increase the cost of a basic health care plan by 20 percent to 50 percent. This estimate is based on analysis of insurance policies, not theories or modeling.

To understand how mandates drive up health insurance costs and price many out of the market, consider the following hypothetical situation: A new college graduate is in the market for a new car. At this point in her life she just wants reliable transportation. However, the government requires them to buy the fully loaded Lexus, with heated seats, navigation system and pricey options, even though that is not what the customer needs or can afford."

The article specifically discusses California's health care problems in the context of mandates, in particular discussing Senator Barbara Boxer's understanding of health care.

While beating the drum for socialized medicine on "Larry King Live," Sen. Barbara Boxer bemoaned it as a tragedy that only 14 states require that health insurance providers cover maternity care.

For starters, Boxer's claim is patently false. As many as 23 states require that insurance providers cover maternity care, and all 50 states mandate coverage of minimum maternity care (a minimum of 48 hours care for regular deliveries and no less than 96 hours for caesarian sections).

But most importantly, Boxer called for more coverage mandates – which has already priced many out of the health insurance market.

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