My libertarian friend said that this argument is "Rush Limbaugh-ready." In other words, it speaks in terms that libertarians and conservatives understand. Here is the thesis:

In an ideal free market, the consumer makes immediate comparisons and switches vendors easily. For example, if you buy a Dell Computer and aren't happy with it, you can return it and purchase from another company like Apple.

In the case of health insurance, when does the consumer hold the provider accountable? Most people just pay their co-pays for decades until something really bad happens. Only then do they get to test the true quality of their insurance provider. By that point, you may be under the effects of a life-threatening condition or possibly going bankrupt.

To show just how weak the consumer's hand is in health insurance, I played this game with a couple of my friends. I asked them, "Did you know that your health insurance provider has twice the state average number of justified complaints?" And then I followed-up with, "Would you know if I was lying?" I then asked who their health insurance provider was. After looking up one friend's insurance, I said, "Oh I'm sorry, my mistake. Your provider had 5 times the average number of complaints." I did the same thing to the next friend and said, "Oh, and your provider had 9 times the number!" Needless to say, they were stunned.

At so many points along the healthcare chain, the supplier is much more empowered that the consumer. If your doctor prescribes something to you, usually you take it, hardly with any questions asked. If your insurance carrier rejects your claims, your recourse isn't your ability to take your business elsewhere. Your recourse is litigation, which is the last thing you want to do when you're under physical duress. Most people don't even have a say in who their insurance provider is, simply going along with whatever their employer purchased.

Health insurance reform is about leveling the playing field, empowering the consumer and curtailing the abuses of the suppliers.