1333
California to become first state to sell cheap insulin through state-backed program (lemmy.blahaj.zone)
submitted 11 months ago by to c/progressivepolitics@lemmy.world
238 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/16/governor-newsom-announces-affordable-calrx-insulin-11-a-pen-will-soon-be-available-for-purchase/

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 2 points 11 months ago (4 children)

Price floors and price ceilings reliably cause market failures like shortages and unemployment. If we're not willing to let people die without it, then we end up playing stupid games like "free emergency room only".

Economics is a social science and every proposal should be based on empirical results, not intuition.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 11 months ago (3 children)

    Look at European economics. Healthcare isn't free but sure feels like it. Lifesaving medication is not free but you can ask social services for the money that you need and you can always survive. Water isn't free but if you can't pay you get the money to buy water. "Free" can be the same as having a price and providing people with the funds to pay that price.

    So my argument was against "free as in beer".

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 11 months ago (2 children)

    I understand your argument. We certainly aren't the first to investigate this. Would you please provide a source for your claim?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •