“Free” Health Care for Children: A Cost Shift to Working Families

Free Health Care for Children: A Cost Shift to Working Families

Insuring Children Helps a Life

It is unfortunate that your parents failed you and that other parents continue to fail their children. I don’t intend to be mean, but the truth of the matter is it was up to your parents to provide for you and buy you glasses; not me (I am the “somebody” who gets the bill for such services).

Free Everything for Kids—At What Cost to Working Parents?

My children, like most American kids, already enjoy free health care, free dental care, free school lunches, free breakfasts, and free clothes. My kids are also lucky enough to have a free first car, free gas, free entertainment, free internet, free cell phones, and a free college education (all things nobody ever gave me). Now of course while all of that is “free” to them, is very expensive for me; just as those things are expensive for all of those other parents providing for their children.

Reading your OpEd I was led to wonder; if your parents could not afford to buy you glasses, then how did you afford college? I presume you received Cal Grants (Free Money) because of your austere background. While your education may have been “free” for you, it was not for me.

Understanding the Hidden Costs Behind “Free” Benefits

You are still young and still learning. As you enter the workforce will come to appreciate that there is no such thing as “free”. Free simply means someone else is sacrificing for you. As you get to know your co-workers, you will find that most of us did not receive college educations (free or otherwise), free insurance, or anything else. Somebody has to pay for those free programs and more often than not, the programs you advocate have to be paid for by those of us who will never qualify to take advantage of them.

Is Advocating Free Children’s Health Care Self‑Serving for Aspiring Pediatric Nurses?

I notice you are planning on becoming a nurse. With your child development degree, I presume you want to become a pediatric nurse. Understanding this, your argument becomes self-serving. Ensuring children have free access to your services ensures you have a ready payer for the services you intend to offer. Last year, my daughter asked if she should take the E.R. doctor’s advice and see a specialist after she fractured her jaw in a fall. Since her fracture was “clean” and I saw no benefit from seeing another doctor, I said no. She replied, “But it’s free; the insurance will pay for it.” Hmmm, I’ve created a monster.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle: A Cautionary Tale on Free Healthcare for Children

Then there is of course the socialist incrementalism of your argument. I believe it was Stalin who said, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” Since most Americans are opposed to socialized medicine, those in support of such an entitlement system are now after the next generation of Americans – children. If you condition children to expect “free” health insurance, when they become adults they will not think twice about voting in favor of such programs. Once such an entitlement program is in place only a revolution will dismantle it.

The Socialist Incrementalism of Free Healthcare for Children

And then there is the inability of our politicians to control our borders, or our courts to control their generosity. Anyone who can make it to the U.S., by whatever means, will get free health care for their children. So in effect, you are advocating free health care for every child in the world who can make it to a U.S. doctor.