Single-Payer National Health Insurance

[SHRED]

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How soon after Obama is elected, and Congress is swept, could this become a reality?
(I know I am getting ahead of the game here but I can dream can't i?)


Single-Payer National Health Insurance

Single-payer national health insurance is a system in which a single public or quasi-public agency organizes health financing, but delivery of care remains largely private.

Currently, the U.S. health care system is outrageously expensive, yet inadequate. Despite spending more than twice as much as the rest of the industrialized nations ($7,129 per capita), the United States performs poorly in comparison on major health indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality and immunization rates. Moreover, the other advanced nations provide comprehensive coverage to their entire populations, while the U.S. leaves 47 million completely uninsured and millions more inadequately covered.



http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

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[lumberjack_jeff]

1. I think that it'll happen right after the delivery of the ponies. n/t

[SHRED]

4. Ironic isn't it?

The Congress has an excellent health care program.

[dtotire]

7. Federal Health Insurance Plan

At this web page you can find the health plan for Congress and Federal employees. You can choose from a number of fee-for service plans or HMOs. Employees pay a certain amoount, The Government picks up the rest. I have Blue Cross standard family plan and pay $314.47 monthly, the Government pays $713.48. There are less expensive plans, with higher co-payments and deductables.(Check out the web page.) It would be affordable for anyone making more than $20K annually. If we adopted this method, lower income families would have to be subsidized for the entire amount. I think that a single-payer plan would be less expensive to administer, but it the public wants to go with the Federal system, and have their choice of plans, that is the way we should go. I am noncommittal.
Everyone would have to sign up with the plan of their choice. There would have to be additional taxes to pay to enroll the entire population. I would suggest a consumption tax, such as a Value-added Tax for any form of Universal Health Insurance. The advantage is that the tax is rebated on exports, which would make American businesses more competitive.

This is the web site:

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/08rates/2008non_postal_ffs.pdf

[Tyler Durden]

2. When Pigs Fly.

Obama, Clinton, McCain all received BIG support from the Health Insurance Industry and Big Pharma.

NO politician ever kills the goose that lays the golden eggs.

[antigop]

3. Ezra Klein: "The Senate is your enemy. Max Baucus is your enemy."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3726021&mesg_id=3726021

[nxylas]

5. Love the cartoon LOL

Not optimistic, though. I think for it to happen, we the people would need to take back America from the corporations and robber barons. Which is another way of saying "when pigs fly".

[WilyWondr]

6. As soon as there is a debate of the facts

Insurance companies overhead = 30%
Medicare overhead = 3%

"Private health insurance companies regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) spend $6 billion each year on administration, and divert an additional $4.3 billion to profit, according to a report released by the California Medical Association (CMA)."

"Industry experts are estimating that profits may reach $60 billion, on a combination of higher premiums along the coasts, no major payouts for natural disasters and strong investment returns."

$60 billion is about $54 billion too much, IMO.
The medical insurance industry needs to be eliminated.
Why should we pay for such inefficiency?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. Since Obama hasn't proposed Single Payer, I'm not holding my breath

:shrug:

[Cleita]

9. There already is a bill in Congress, HR676 that is stuck in committee.

It essentially extends an improved Medicare to everyone. I believe we should push for this bill if Obama is elected and we keep a majority in Congress.