John Galt wrote:Great job [Barbara] with your letter to the editor...
DAR
I certainly agree. And here it is:
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Single-payer is the answer
Universal health care must be part of economic recovery and deficit reduction. People are vulnerable and health care is just too expensive. Right now most companies are in trouble and part of that is because they're either offering health care and can't afford it or they aren't offering health care and can't compete for workers with companies that do. (America has been losing ground for decades to countries like Canada as far as getting new business because of that.)
Currently getting American health care ranges from rich ("I get what I want and pay for it") through great health care ("As long as I don't change jobs or get anything serious") to lousy health care (huge deductible and copay but it covers emergencies) to what health care ("If I get sick I hope it goes away, because if not I go to the emergency room.") America has the best health care in the world if you're rich enough to pay for it. If not, America is close to or dead last in any category you care to name.
The three basic categories of health care are: Socialism, or socialized medicine, meaning the government owns the facilities (hospitals and clinics) and the medical staff is on the government payroll (like VA hospitals and county health clinics). Public singlepayer, meaning private facilities and medical staff with treatment paid for by the government (like Medicare). Private, meaning private facilities and medical staff paid for by private insurance companies or by the patient.
Universal public single-payer covers everybody, unlike private insurance companies, while giving everybody the choice of providers (and the provider the choice of treatment), also unlike private insurance companies. It reduces costs by combining existing programs, reducing administrative costs, and what Wal-Mart calls the "economics of scale." It will come in for about twice what is now withheld for Medicare - about $74-$80 per month for somebody making $15 an hour. How's that compare to your monthly premiums?
"I like my insurance" you say? What if they raise the premiums or double the deductible and/or co-pay? Or if you want to change jobs? Or if they decide they don't want to pay for a recommended procedure? Or if they decide you've got a "prior condition" and deny coverage altogether? The best of what we currently have is like making Cadillac payments for a 30-year old Chevy - with the loan company saying when and where you can drive it and taking it back if you get a ticket.
Universal single-payer is Ford payments for a Cadillac, since you go when and where you want and nobody can take it back. Time to contact the congresscritters again. Americans needs universal single-payer health care for moral, ethical, economic and just plain common sense reasons.
Barbara Fitzpatrick / Fayetteville
NWA news
DAR
I have lived for 21 years under the Canadian health system and 21 years under the American. So I know a little about this topic, first hand. Barbara knows what she is talking about. She doesn't need to read Democratic talking points, she could write them. And they would be accurate. Galt would like to pretend that simply labeling a position a "talking point" is equivalent to refuting it or even responding to it. Maybe someday he will learn the difference but I doubt it. Until then, his posts are truly a blessing. He is ten times better than anyone I know at making neo-cons look foolish, and he makes the endeavor look completely effortless. What a gift!
D.