Socialist Gov’t-Controlled Health Care Is No Solution — It’s the Disease (Aug 30, 2020)
In “Socialist Gov’t-Controlled Health Care Is No Solution — It’s the Disease”, Autry J. Pruitt challenges the increasingly popular notion that government-run health care is the solution to rising costs and inequality in the American system.
Pruitt argues that while proponents of democratic socialism laud government control as a remedy, the reality contradicts the promise. By examining the architecture of state-run systems—where bureaucracy supersedes care and metrics trump patients—he highlights how central planners sacrifice access, innovation, and responsiveness on the altar of control.
He warns that when the government owns or regulates the entire health system, it inevitably introduces waiting lists, reduced quality, and diminished access to cutting-edge treatments. Doctors become administrators, not caregivers; budgets, not needs, dictate choices.
The author contrasts that model with market-based alternatives, advocating instead for policies that empower individuals and providers. He contends that expanding private options, deregulating care, and encouraging competition can drive down prices while preserving high-quality outcomes.
Pruitt cautions against treating single-payer as a panacea, noting that headlines promising universal access often obscure the price in freedom and efficiency. He urges readers to recognize that entangling health care with political machinery only deepens existing dysfunction.
Ultimately, the message is clear: socialism isn’t just a policy misstep—it’s the disease itself. A healthy system, in Pruitt’s framework, is one where patients—not politicians—hold the reins, choices—not mandates—shape outcomes, and competition—not rigidity—pushes innovation. The cure lies not in more government, but in more freedom.
