This is going to seem elementary to some, preposterous and beyond belief to others. And it is 100% truth:

The principles of economics apply to health care products and services no less, and just as much as they apply to all other products and services. Health care is not exempt from the principles of economics.

Here are some universal, unchanging, true, and very basic principles of economics:

 When DEMAND rises faster than does supply, and everything else remains constant and there is no government interference, prices go UP.

 When SUPPLY rises faster than demand, and everything else remains constant and there is no government interference, prices go DOWN.

 Where there is MORE competition, and everything else remains constant and there is no government interference, there are higher levels of EXCELLENCE and prices tend to go DOWN over time.

 Where there is LESS competition, and everything else remains constant and there is no government interference, there are LOWER levels of excellence and prices tend to go UP over time.

 Where people spend THEIR OWN money, and everything else remains constant and there is no government interference, they demand and shop around for higher levels of excellence at the lowest prices they can find.

 Where people spend SOMEONE ELSE’S money, and everything else remains constant, they pay little attention to prices and often purchase goods and services they don’t really need.

 Where there is MORE government regulation, and everything else remains constant, there is LESS competition.

 Where there is LESS government regulation, and everything else remains constant, there is MORE competition.

 Where government forces some to provide products and services to a crony favored group who are exempt by law from paying, and everything else remains constant, those who are NOT part of the favored crony group pay much MORE because they’re paying for those exempt from paying.

 Where government does NOT interfere and does NOT force ANYONE to provide ANYTHING for anyone ELSE, and everything else remains constant and there is no government interference, people freely CHOOSE to be productive, OR NOT, and to engage in voluntary, mutually agreeable exchanges with others, OR NOT, depending on how productive they’ve been and what offers from others they find to be valuable.

 Things subsidized by tax-payers via government force become MORE expensive.

 Things subsidized by tax-payers via government force are things people DO NOT VALUE enough to buy at market prices.

If you want to know what these economic principles mean for health care, then use your reason and apply these economic principles to health care.

If you’re feeling charitable, you might consider offering the conclusions of your reason to the jokers and clowns in Congress. They cannot seem to connect economic principles with the subject of health care. Perhaps their reason is defective?

And if you’re feeling especially adventurous, then extend your reasoning and apply the economic principles you’ve learned to products and services beyond health care. But brace yourself. Because you’ll be venturing into subjects about which few people know much and many people feel much. And because many people have vested crony interests in maintaining or even expanding government subsidies, regulations, interference, and control over all kinds of products and services in which the government ought not be involved at all.