The Problem with Single Payer Health Insurance

[denem]

Surprise. Not It's never been medical or financial. On the contrary, public not for profit insurance would lift a huge burden of enterprises throughout America.

It's political, and not a lack of political will. The 'universal health care' offered by Clinton, Edwards and Obama, are if you like, something of a bridge to public insurance. Not for profit insurance similar to the Congressional scheme is offered at subsidized rates. If the public scheme is run well, there should be an exodus from the private funds. As well as taking the worst cases off their hands, that competition may well exert downward pressure on private insurance premiums. Yes, people can choose private health insurance if they want to: they have that choice.

In the general election, if a candidate goes gung ho single payer and banning private insurance, the literal single payer, (Kucinich's position, not Canada's), he or she will be up against a good proportion of $15 billion in funds the Insurance Industry and it's supplicants have marked for public "education". Forget advertising for drugs, think one in five hit ads: Patients losing limbs and lives because they are 'waiting' in line; Critical drugs refused or unavailable; and every feared medical condition under the sun blamed on losing private insurance. Big Sister is killing your health. Never mind how arch the falsehood, it is suicide. It's pure suicide.

[aquart]

1. So?

HOW DID OTHER COUNTRIES MANAGE?

[denem]

2. They managed in the immediate post war as Truman advocated,

or in the 70's when Carter tried. The health care sector now consumes 14 percent of GDP, going up by nearly a percent a year. Canada spends half that, and Britain, not the best example, even less: 6%. That's how they managed. The health care industry was nothing like the size of the United States today. And they did not ban supplemental private health insurance over and above the universal public coverage. It was not single payer.

Do you remember what it was like before pharmaceutical drugs were advertised? It's now all revenue in the system.

[Clark2008]

3. Why are drugs advertised, though?

Do you honestly go to the doctor and ask for any of them? I don't. I prefer to let me and my doctor decide what's wrong with me and I look to him/her to decide what's the best treatment. I never ask for a specific drug.