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Real reform needed for health care

President Barack Obama’s signature federal takeover of health insurance clearly was a mistake. Millions of Americans are paying more, often much more, for coverage because of Obamacare. Millions are finding their health care options limited, despite the president’s assurances that if we like our doctors, we can keep them.

Double-digit increases in health insurance premiums have become the norm. Price hikes in the 40-percent range are not scare tactics but very real reactions to a system broken by Obamacare.

Many top Democrats as well as Republicans say dramatic changes in Obamacare are needed.

But Obamacare’s flaws were predicted well in advance of its enactment. Skeptics warned of just what would happen – and it has.

That brings up a question about reforming Obamacare: Was the current catastrophe intended?

It will be remembered that while she was first lady, Hillary Clinton pushed hard for a single-payer system. That is, private health insurance would be outlawed. The government would be the only provider of health insurance.

Obama himself would have preferred that, but facing severe opposition, he settled for Obamacare.

Or did he? Was the idea all along that Obamacare would be such a disaster that it could pave the way for the hoped-for single-payer system?

Reformers in both major political parties should not allow that to happen. They should insist on real reform, not resorting to even more government control. Surely the relatively small taste of that we are having now is enough to convince Americans more is not better.

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