The result was, of course, that today, tragically, more than 40 million Americans don’t have health insurance, and for many, not having health insurance means they don’t have access to good health care.

Mitchell links policy outcomes to human consequences: a large uninsured population is not merely a statistic but a barrier to timely, quality medical treatment. The phrasing “of course” suggests he sees the outcome as predictable—an inevitable product of prior political choices or systemic design—while “tragically” frames the issue as a moral failing rather than a neutral market result. The quote also distinguishes between “health insurance” and “good health care,” underscoring how, in the U.S. system, access to care is often mediated by coverage. Overall, it functions as an argument for reform by emphasizing preventable suffering and inequity.