So, You Want Canadian Health Care? | National Review

Rationing is a reality we all face in health care. "Free" point-of-sale health care for all creates unlimited demand. But supply remains the same, and limited. In a free market, this would drive costs up, but Medicare holds customer pricing at 80% of costs, so price is shackled by policy. So, what happens? Doctors, PAs, nurses, and all health care providers are reimbursed according to Medicare rates, so their pay goes down. So, fewer people choose the health care profession, and the best of them move to cash-only (wealthy) customers. Supply goes down, and waiting times go up. It's a normal reaction to government intervention into a free market.