Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Hayek in the NY Times

Thomas Edsal is a little late with this observation, but his ability to learn is laudable:
(I)s the federal government capable of managing the provision of a fundamental service through an extraordinarily complex system?
This system requires coordination of over 288 policy options (an average of eight insurers are competing for business in 36 states), each with three or more levels of coverage, while simultaneously calculating beneficiary income, tax credit eligibility, subsidy levels, deductibles, not to mention protecting applicant privacy, insuring web security, and managing a host of other data points. 
A malfunction at any one of these junctures could prove fatal.
I wonder if the NY Times would have allowed this question if they knew how Hayekian it is?