McCain's Health Plan Belongs in a Bedpan

On Tuesday, Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) added some clarification to his health care proposals, mostly making an effort to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions such as the melanoma McCain had removed several years ago.

McCain mostly touts freedom of choice in his proposal. Unfortunately, health care choice may mean fewer people can afford health care and could end up not being covered at all. This could be a disaster for businesses and individuals.

McCain's plan presents a stark contrast to the Democrats'. Both Sen. Hillary Clinton (D., N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) have proposed plans coming close to universal coverage, and they plan to pay for them with tax hikes on those in the highest tax brackets. The Democrats would augment the present system by creating government programs. McCain, on the other hand, proposes a "free market" plan, which would bring drastic change of another kind.

The present health care system is far from perfect. Most people automatically enroll in health care and receive coverage from their employer. Employer-based tax subsidies make this possible. ...