Boosting Demand Won’t Fix Affordability

Washington helps buyers. It should focus on producers.

By David Hebert. He is a senior research fellow with the American Institute for Economic Research. Excerpts:

"The law expanded insurance coverage to millions through subsidies and mandates, dramatically increasing demand for healthcare. However, the ACA did remarkably little to increase the supply."

"healthcare employment has grown at roughly 2% each year both before and after the ACA was passed."

"Freddie Mac estimated that in the fourth quarter of 2020 the U.S. was short 3.8 million housing units."

"The Brookings Institution used the same methodology and estimated the shortage in 2023 to be 4.9 million units."

"For healthcare, this means reforming licensing to increase the number of medical practitioners. It also means reducing the regulatory burdens that make opening clinics difficult."