In a previous post, I wrote the following about friend and debate partner Sally Pipes:

And I’m now prepared to induct John Stossel into the Anti-Universal Coverage Club. Sally Pipes I’m still not sure about; you can judge for yourself when the IQ2 folks post the transcript of the debate here.

My intention was not to disparage Pipes. The Anti-Universal Coverage Club exists to challenge the idea that government should pursue a policy of universal health insurance coverage. Some free-marketers believe that’s a fine goal, so long as government goes about it using market mechanisms. At our recent Intelligence Squared debate, Pipes remarked:

By supporting universal choice in health care, and empowering consumers, we will achieve universal coverage.

Pipes is one of the leading opponents of government-run health care. When I heard that remark, though, I thought perhaps Pipes might fall into that aforementioned group of free-marketers. So I didn’t want to induct her into the Anti-Universal Coverage Club if that’s not her thing.

Colleagues of Pipes objected to my blog post. In an email to me, Pipes writes:

I support allowing the market to work resulting in more choice for consumers. The government should not be involved.

I did not mean to suggest anything to the contrary, but I can see why they would think I had. I apologize to Pipes and her colleagues.