How Cap and Trade Affects the Health Care Debate
Posted July 14th, 2009 at 11:04am in Energy and Environment, Health Care 
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The Waxman-Markey energy tax plan will have all sorts of unwanted side effects. As the healthcare debate ramps up, it’s worth noting problems misguided global warming legislation can generate for medical care.
Though it would be nearly impossible to trace all the impacts of higher energy costs on medical services, one broad measure is the impact on the costs of medical care. By driving up energy costs, Waxman-Markey will drive up the costs of running hospitals, manufacturing medical equipment, producing drugs, driving ambulances, and virtually every other component of our healthcare system.
The Center for Data Analysis analyzed the economic impact of the Waxman-Markey energy tax legislation using the sophisticated Global Insight macro model. This model allows detailed analysis of the impacts by industry.
So what happens to healthcare? On top of all the other factors that will lead to higher prices down the road, Waxman-Markey will add an additional 11.6 percent to healthcare costs by 2035 (the last year of the analysis). So, though Waxman-Markey aims its economic bombs at global warming, healthcare will suffer hundreds of billions of dollars in collateral damage each year.
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One Response to “How Cap and Trade Affects the Health Care Debate”
Gary, Norfolk, VA on July 14th, 2009 at 11:04am said:
Leveraging off of information from the Heritage Foundation’s Foundry Blog (Transformers: Health Care Edition) I sent the following correspondence to my Senators:
Dear Senator Warner/Webb,
BAD LEGISLATION DESERVES TO BE KILLED, NOT GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE! More and more Virginians are wising up to how you help speed bad legislation through to the president, most likely without even reading it. I have noticed a common tactic of the Congress, namely replacing troubled pieces of legislation (in this case Cap-and-Tax and Health Care Reform) with scaled-down substitutes of the same. I have observed that Members of Congress often support and pass replacement bills “to keep the process alive.” Frequently, in House-Senate conference committees, you re-insert the bad provisions and then you bring the equally bad bill up for a final vote. This whole process buys you time to push for more government takeover.
Please don’t try to tell me that Cap-and-Tax and Health Care Reform are yet another “emergency” that must be acted on now…that doesn’t wash anymore. It is increasingly clear that you are NOT OUR REPRESENTATIVE; rather you are THE LOBBYIST’S REPRESENTATIVE. Cap-and Tax, and Health Care Reform are NOT EMERGENCIES that require immediate action by Congress. WHY ARE YOU COMPLICIT IN KILLING OUR ECONOMY? You already supported TARP, a massive deficit busting budget, and a not-so-stimulating “Stimulus Bill!” If these pieces of legislation, in ANY resemblance to their current form, are brought up for votes I expect you to VOTE “NO;” to vote otherwise will most likely cost you your Senate seat.
Concerned Virginian,
G-Man