Access to and the distribution of health-related services ought to be handled by the free-market.

The premise on which I argue that "access to and distribution of health-related services ought to be handled by the free market" is the vast and complex set of subjective values which inform a transaction. These subjective values are best expressed through free-flowing prices, which is fundamental to a free-market. The absence of price controls allows buyers and sellers to meet and conduct transactions on their own terms, and serve the benefit of each party involved. Health-related services as with any good or service has a cost. These costs, rather than being addressed in terms of economics, are often politicized and reduced to referendums on who has which right, legal or moral. There are a couple of issues which would arise in the attempt to sustain a "right to health care":

These costs can be addressed in a manner that wouldn't involve the prospect of crippling debt, satisfying nonsensical claims, or worst case scenarios: enslavement or death. I propose, as the subject of this debate suggests, freeing up the market. First, we must discern the regulations and/or restrictions imposed, and how each play a role in the exorbitant costs of health-related services. I will be using the access and distribution of health-related services in the United Stated as an exemplar.

       The American Medical Association is a government subsidized organization which functions as a cartel for physician labor. The AMA is able to restrict the amount of physician labor through the LCME (Liason Committee on Medical Education,) which is responsible for accreditation, and the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education,) which is responsible for internships, residencies, and fellowships. The American Medical Association which has been partnered with the Association of American Medical Colleges since 1942 sponsors the LCME, and is in part responsible for the creation of the ACGME for which it has four seats on its board of directors. In 1910, the American Medical Association lobbied the Republican administration under William Taft to close or merge half of American Medical Schools. The pretext was to prevent substandard medical training; however, the report (The Flexner Report) on this substandard medical training was authored by a person, Abraham Flexner, who not only had no expertise at all in allopathic, homeopathic, or even osteopathic medicine, but also was a critic of the American College System. In some of his inspections of medical schools, he was accompanied by N.P. Colwell (page 9,) the secretary of the American Medical Association's Council on Medical Education. Not to mention, Flexner was hosted in Chicago by the American Medical Association when finishing his report.

         By artificially restricting the supply of physician labor, the American Medical Association is essentially creating creating a shortage (page 15 and onward,) especially in the advent of increased demand borne from government subsidized consumption, which consequently produces inflated physician salaries. These physician salaries in part are extended to the final product contributing to the inflated costs of health related services. By removing the government preference for the American Medical Association, as well as removing the government subsidy, we can reduce costs of health related services as well as spare billions in federal spending on health care.

It is my argument that addressing these restrictions and regulations would see dramatic decreases in costs in health related services; also, consequently, it is my argument that this is a better solution to the costs of health-related services as opposed to meeting these costs through debt deferment, nonsensical claims, enslavement or death. As we continue our debate, I will expand on these points, and even add supplementary points wherever necessary.