America
needs Health CARE not Health INSURANCE
7/14/09 - Today, America faces one
of its most difficult problems – Health Care. Many in Congress and
in the “Health” industry are insisting that private insurance
must be a part of any solution. In fact, the health insurance
businesses stand to gain billions if the 49 million uninsured
Americans suddenly become eligible for private OR government funding.
The reality is that there
is absolutely no legitimate reason why anyone should have to pay for
health insurance. Americans need to pay for health care not health
insurance. Americans need a health plan similar to Medicare. Many
studies of Medicare have reached the following conclusions:
Medicare
beneficiaries are overwhelmingly satisfied with their Medicare
coverage.
The administrative costs of Medicare are lower than any
other large health plan.
The Universal nature of Medicare brings affordable health care to a large number of people.
Medicare protects the rights of its beneficiaries to receive quality, affordable, and essential health care.
If a Medicare type plan
were made available to all Americans, the overall costs of health
care could be significantly lowered. Administrative costs would be
reduced, advertising costs would be eliminated. Drug costs could be
reduced through large contracts. The total costs of health care could
also be reduced through broad based wellness programs.
Today profit, not care,
is the force driving the health industry. Many in Congress,
especially the committee leaders, are the beneficiaries of huge
donations to their reelection campaigns from the Health Insurance
Lobby. The decisions of Congress are, in reality, being bought and
this is just plain wrong. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max
Baucus has continued to exclude discussions about Single-Payer
Universal Healthcare—the system favored by most Americans. Senator
Baucus has received more campaign money from health-and-insurance
industry interests than any other member of Congress.
I've never heard a Congressman or Senator call Medicare “Socialism,” but that is exactly the term they use when talking about single-payer health care. They are practicing Brave New World and 1984 newspeak tactics in their efforts to confuse the American people. Fortunately the People are not buying it. Poll after poll signify that a broad majority of Americans favor a Medicare type plan for all Americans.
Single-Payer Health Care is Change Americans believe in.
Thomas Daly
Retired California Newspaper Publisher