Jean—How very kind of you! Sadly, my knowledge comes from years of experience with the US health “care” INDUSTRY.

It has to change, and, I appreciate your support!!

sharonsj—It you are 65, check your state Medicaid laws—-if you go on it, you pretty much give up your right to collect any other “help” (social security, etc), if you “collect” on it before age 65….it is barbaric. If you are “short” on years worked, for Medicare, when you have to go on Medicaid—you can just forget ever getting Medicare, even if you paid into it for years. They also will take any government or private pensions you have. You cannot have more than $2500 , at any one time. YOu cannot work AT ALL! Your spouse, or, even “roommate”, cannot make above poverty level. Friends and family cannot pay for surgery (or even medicines) for you, or they deduct it from your “spend down”. A doctor risks losing his Medicaid funding, if he does unapproved care for you, for free!!

I wish you well…

Rep. Pete Stark (Calif.), another influential Democrat, said last month that while even a Democratic bugbear like the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) should be consulted on health reform, health insurers could twist in the wind, as far as he was concerned.

“We’re not going to pass these plans if we don’t have the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association — even PhRMA. You’re not going to get the insurance companies on board, I don’t think, but they’re the easiest to roll because nobody likes insurance companies. So, if they don’t like what we’re doing, I guess somebody has to be the bad guy,” said Stark, who chairs the Health Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee and will be one of the lead authors of House Democratic health reform legislation.

PE Obama also supports cutting the excess profit from MA, which was a huge a** kiss to the HMOs and Pharmaceutical industries…it is our money, folks.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-reid-take-dead—aim-at-medicare-hmos-2009-01-14_2.html

DCambly—Perhaps you can tell us more about yourself, in your personal profile. It is certainly not that I am uninterested, it is just that I am what you would probably call middle-aged, and, would like to get back to work before I get too old! I am living on $7500 a year! I have an MSW—you? Do you work, or, would you like to?

You can accuse Americans of “not listening” when we get heatlh care. I am very specifically saying that the US does NOT know, and, that , so far, we are the worst in the civilized world.(That is, to World Health Org., indisputable) Youre using a cliche to deride, what is, for the most part, a group of “progressives”.Most Canadians I know understand how bad it is.

Several have told you that they have experienced other systems, and, ours is the worst. If we even get Canadian style—it is better than this! RN described to you , the HR 676 plan, and , how it is different.

I would love to have the coverage you speak of. You just DO NOT KNOW!

This thread is about health care—single payer. There are many other topics on this site (and you have expressed your opinion). I would like to listen to you, but, i would like to talk heath care before more people die. It is a crisis I cannot describe!. The only reaons people generally give background here is to show when it applies to the topic. I “told you” that I had been a Social Worker , so “you would see"that I have experience with the sytsem

It is worse than you know. Trust me on that one.

PLEASE, peeps, call or email your rep. today—on MLKJr. Day—in his honor, to support Conyers/KUcinich HR676!! THANKS!

http://ga1.org/campaign/support_hr676

Subject:
Please Support HR 676, the “Medicare For All” Bill

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

We have nearly 50 million citizens with no health coverage, and at least 18,000 of them die unnecessarily each year as a result.

Every other industrialized country in the world makes sure its population has access to basic healthcare. The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access to health care as a human right. What’s more, 28 industrialized nations have single payer universal health care systems like the type proposed in this bill—privately delivered health care, publicly financed—and none spend as much per capita on health care as the United States. The United States rank near the bottom among industrial countries in indicators from life expectancy (20th) to infant mortality (23rd).

Under H.R. 676 a family of three earning $40,000 would pay about $1,600 per year to have full health coverage, excluding non-essential cosmetic procedures, but including long term care, dental care, mental health care, choice of doctors and prescription drugs. Physicians for a National Health Program reports that under a “Medicare For All” plan, the nation could save over $286 billion dollars a year in total health care costs. That’s enough to cover all the uninsured and provide full prescription drug coverage for everyone in the United States.

Clearly the system is broken and in need of drastic revision.

No other issue so directly impacts Americans. Please sign on a co-sponsor to this vital issue. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address],

DCambly:

I am interested in hearing more about what you have to say. What you have to realise is just how bad the state of healthcare is in this country. While the Canadian system may not be the best, when I read your situation… I wish I had even that! I can’t even get healthcare at the moment and things will remain that way until major reforms take place.

I think that for the most part progressives are open-minded and decent, open debate is hard to find these days!

Thank you to those who are willing to give a new person to your website a little slack.

To those who have made so much innuendo as to who I am and how uneducated I am I say goodbye.

I wanted to see if there was any change in the attitude towards anyone outside the United States. 6.3 billion of us are still wrong and everything you say or do is still the only way. I did not even get the chance to tell you who I am or how many Degrees I have earned.

What shall those of us who have no use for “male enhancement” do? If you are tired of “male enhancement” commercials, first of all, lets ban the Rx Cos. commercial business (and stop these awful commercials!)

I know that the “drug” you are probably referring to is not a Rx, but, they have been sued once, for false statements, but only had to pay out about $150 million, I think . Apparently there are still enough dumbass people on this continent, to make it worth it for them. Cialis, Viagra—the plague of email boxes everywhere!

Make it illegal to advertise this stuff, and at least US Rx corps will have to stop with the people in separate bathtubs on a hillside!

Amy, I love Democracy Now!  Thnak you for the objective news and information
In your article you ask, “Obama is in charge now. Whom will he emulate—Nixon or FDR? People across the political and economic spectrum, from big business to the little guy, are dying to know.”  I am not dying to know, because I already know.  Regrettably, he’ll emulate Nixon.

screamingpalm—I understand completley what you are saying…I smoked for many years. But, we , first, had drastic rises in cig prices, due to states sales tax (more due to being broke than health—Ohio), and, then a ban in public places. I quit—it took Chantix (which makes you feel horrible—you really have to watch it!) and pathches. Then I just quit. (its is hard—but, not as hard, for me, as some say)..

I feel that the poor are more vicitimized by tobacco cos. They will not be treated if they get sick. If we had HR 676, they would certainly cover pills, patches, it is silly not to now… \

One thing that made em think to quit , was Michael Moore saying, “One way to win, until we get care, is to take care of yourself”.  I decided that they wouldht win THAT one!

Most of my friends still smoke…

I used to work picking tobacco—its a horrible job. It contributes nothing to society (esp the poor) and , they wont’t be treated if they get sick.A neighbor worked in coal mines in W. Va., and smoked all of his life. He was a veteran, but, when he got lung cancer, they just told him that, if they “took his lung out”, it would be an “automatic lawsuit”. Now, I was never postive I understood exactly what this nice, decent, but, undedcated, guy was talking about, but, the VA just “lets you go” alot of times, when you are disabled. (I used to work at a Vet Center)

I agree—is is certainly not a permanent solution.Anything that a person can use to quit should be free of charge—they shouldve put it in the Bill! (But, can you imagine GOP and Blue Dog tobacco states reps?)

DCAmbly—If I showed less than “understanding ” to your points, it may be because , ever since i was a social worker, (and since I did work study in Europe ) i have been arguing this with people—mostly neo-cons. I have had family members die younger ,and, clients, well, just DIE, from a lack of decent care. I , mysel, have a Master’s
degree, and, could probably still work part time—I cannot, or ,I lose my health care,. (crappy as it is). My sister had cancer and pays $12,500 a year, and she had to pay $80,000 (well, still is) for chemo! My dad died of brain cancer, and, owed $100,000’s of 1000s, when he died, WITH insurance.

You do NOT want a US system. I have been treated in Canada. Many in the US go there for treatment.

If we keep getting distracted, by people complaining about costs elsewhere (which are still much less than ours), the neo-cons will use this.

I am tired of people dying. Its barbaric.I am tired of everything costing so much , because employers have to pay—I am tired of jobs going overseas. We just need to do this.

Dennis,
I never said that you said you wanted the Canadian system replaced with ours. You clearly criticised the Canadian system inferring that you didn’t want a similar system in the US. That’s why 2 other Canadians wrote their emails to you. It wasn’t Americans replying to you-it was your fellow Canadians correcting the record. No system is perfect. I am sure there are cases where a Canadian may have gotten substandard care. That happens in the US all the time.
There are 98,000 medical errors in the US in the supposedly “best system in the world”. In America people are denied primary care on a regular basis. That doesn’t happen in Canada. There may be a shortage of specialists and MRI’s ikn certain province but in America we have plenty of them. The CEO’s of the big American auto companies wrote a letter to the Canadian govt. pleading with them to never privatize/change the medicare system in Canada.

If you want to understand what we are doing in America you need to click on the link that was in my email. Your understanding of our bills is very inccurate. There is no “multi-layer” govt. plan in either bill. You have not done your homework. It is always amazing to me how many uninformed folks spout on about Single Payer who have no clue as to what we are doing.
I don’t mean to be harsh but we in California have been working on Single Payer for the past 8-10 years so have lots of experience dealing with uninformed folks who try to send out false propaganda on the blogs. I am now calling folks on it. What I have found, sadly, is that these folks simply don’t want the correct info. They are often negative people in general who just like to argue for the sake of arguing. I hope you are not one of these folks.
Lynn
Here’s our website in Calif. http://www.onecarenow.org

I am aware you didn’t say you wanted the canadian system replaced by the gaudawful system we have , no one in their right mind would want that . I am aware the canadian system is very flawed ( it’s second to ours , which makes it piss poor ) but it’s still much better than ours . But by comparison , it’s wonderful . My comments were to shed light on the fact that even your much less than perfect system is far superior to the mess we call a healthcare system . My point was simply to emphasize that even a severly flawed system such as the canadian one is far better than the one we endure .

Thank you for showing an understanding to my comments.

“Neither HR 676 or 840 are modeled after the Canadian system which is 13 separate systems and underfunded”

I never said that I want the Health system in Canada replaced by the one in the United States. Simply saying be careful to ensure a true “single payer” system as you have pointed out. Try not to bury yourselves by replacing multi-levels of corporations by multi-levels of government.

TAO
“This old Indian suggests respectfully that you’ll all feel a whole lot better as soon as you stop beating your own selfs (and each others’) to-pieces with all the UNnatural “male enhancement” you’ve let dominate your lives”

Perfect

Nino , you listen to conservative radio for balance ? Thats kind of like going to a witch doctor for a second opinion . I used to listen to linbaugh ( because he was all that was on the radio in the eighties ) and discovered something . He sounds like an authority until he gets onto a subject that you actually have knowledge of . Then suddenly you realize he just talking out of his ample ass . He and his ilk are simply corporate propagandists spewing rightwing retoric with no regard for the truth , he’s kind of a modern day ” Father Caughlin ” . Don’t believe me , the next time you are listening for ” balance ” jot down some of his pronouncments , then go to the trouble of actually researching what he said . You’ll find that even when he wanders around the truth he spins it beyond recognition .
Dennis Cambly , I’m not crazy about the Canadian system either , I would much prefer the French or German . That said , here you couldn’t get any kind of coverage or drugs of any kind for the sums you mentioned . Call around and see what it costs to buy insurance here , if you don’t have an employer who supplies insurance , your screwed , period . You are correct though , the canadian system isn’t the best model . But it’s still about twice as good as our corporate greed based so called system . Move to the states for a while and I bet you will develop a deep appreciation for what you had . Unless of course you happen to be one of the 25% or so who have good employer based coverage , even then it’s very expensive ( highest in the world by a factor of 2 for care that rates 37th ) and you’re always one paycheck away from losing it . Don’t try it however unless you’re in good health . You could easily wind up bankrupt , dead , or both .

Dennis,
My name is Lynn Huidekoper. I am a member of Health Care for All-California who wrote the first premier Single Payer bill in the country, SB840, which has passed our legislature twice only to be vetoed by a very selfish(yet rich) Governor. The author of SB840, an RN, met with the French Health Minister twice to help in writing our bill. France ranks #1 in the world for good outcomes, access to care, and for 1/3-1/2 of the price.
Neither HR 676 or 840 are modeled after the Canadian system which is 13 separate systems and underfunded. These proposals have modest employee and employer taxes(in lieu of premiums) to supplement the current govt. funding by Medicare, SCHIP, Medicaid,etc. The comprehensive benefit packages include dental, vision, DME, prescription drugs. SB840 has the state negotiating drug prices with the drug companies with bulk purchasing like the VA and Kaiser currently do(both SP-type systems).
I am now getting many of my meds at Costco which has, in some cases, better deals than WalMart. They are dirt cheap, cheaper than Canada where I was getting some of my meds from.
If you ask any Canadian, as stated by the others who replied to you, if they would want to switch to our system they resoundingly say NO! They don’t have bankruptcies in Canada due to health bills. They don’t have 22,000 people die every year due to uninsurance. They have a greater life expectancy.
Here’s a great new website that John Conyers runs that has all the info about HR676:
http://www.johnconyers.com/healthcare

I’m glad to see SCHIP passed, but with a tempered enthusiasm. I really don’t like that this is being funded by an increased tax on cigarettes. I do not have any stats to back up my theory, but I feel like this is another burden to be carried by the poor. Those that have health care can more easily contact their doctor about kicking the habit, and afford medications to help do so.

I don’t feel like this is a reliable method of funding the well-being of our children.

On HR-676… I’ve pre-empted and already contacted my rep!

I have been treated in these places, that people are saying is “so bad”. They have no idea, believe me.

So many doig without the basics, brings shame to our country.

TAO—Several posts did address those things. Although I would be interested in more specifics. The basic rot of the system need to be over hauled. That being said, we need to keep enough poor people, who know what it is like, alive, to rebuild!

The discrepency in health and lifespan in the Native American community is despicable.There are many factors, but, since the Af Am community experiences similar stats, it would behoove us to consider the old capitalists’ “no-no”—POVERTY.

How come Amy Goodman isn’t here alerting people to the stark fact it is the ideological, institutional, and electro-mechanical CONtraption that is systematically sickening them all that they ought to be really concerned about?  Is she suggesting this “global” death-dealing device is somehow okay, so long as everybody can get a little medical attention for some of the injuries it inflicts on them?

This old Indian suggests respectfully that you’ll all feel a whole lot better as soon as you stop beating your own selfs (and each others’) to-pieces with all the UNnatural “male enhancement” you’ve let dominate your lives.  It’s just common sense….and sentience.

HokaHey!

Kucinich on Single Payer, for HuffPO , as well as Truth Dig:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-scheer/rep-dennis-kucinich-tack_b_35182.html

Michael Moore for Congress, on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYnadAE685o

Citizens Alliance for Natl Health INsurance:

http://www.hr676.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBmZW9R5Wss

Dont die needlessly. Dont let anyone else.. Ask your representative to support HR 676, for MLKJr.

Yes! The House just passed SCHIP! 40 GOP voted “Aye”—we dont need to cave to them..no, for cynics, I do not have any chldren in my family effected by this.

http://www.guaranteedhealthcare.org/facts

Please call your senators and rep tomorrow, in honor of MLKJr Day, and ask them to support HR 676: (Conyera dn KJucinich video) is above

DCambly—What I think of the “invasion of Iraq” is just trying to divert attention, and, I did NOT ever support it! If you like the health care here, com e get it—20,000 people DIE every year in the uS alone..as you may well know, you can BUY almost anything in the uS, as long as you have bucks—especially Euros!

Arguing otherwise is just giving the conservatives fuel.

I worked as a Medical Social Worker for years, and, saw the horrible effects of a for-profit heatlh care industry—-it is nor reconciliable wtih a civilized society. Period.

You ARE in the minorty:

What is the quality of care?

A: According to a Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health for 2002–2003, undertaken by Statistics Canada and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 87% of Canadians are somewhat or very satisfied with their overall healthcare services.

Seven Country Health Care Survey
January 17, 2008 in International Health Care Systems

Which country’s citizens believe that their medical system needs a complete overhaul? According to a a study published in Health Affairs (”…Adults’ Health Care Experiences In Seven Countries, 2007“), one third of Americans believe that we need to “rebuild completely” our health care system.

Minor Changes Needed Fundamental Changes Needed Rebuild Completely HC Spending per capita HC Spending / GDP EMR
Australia 24% 55% 18% $3,128 9.5% 79%
Canada 26% 60% 12% $3,326 9.8% 23%
Germany 20% 51% 27% $3,287 10.7% 42%
Netherlands 42% 49% 9% $3,094 9.2% 98%
N. Zealand 26% 56% 17% $2,343 9.0% 92%
UK 26% 57% 15% $2,724 8.3% 89%
US 16% 48% 34% $6,697 16.0% 28%

48% (US)vs.12% in Canada, “needs complete revamping”.If you need to revamp yours, do it. People are dying.

I have been treated in Canada , Mexico, Norway, Denmark and Italy! They were all better, and, best of all, accessible.!

There is a plan presented by the House of Rep here (Conyers and Kucinich and others) Check it out! It would help the uS eocnomy, and, what they are proposing would use 1% of GDP.

I repeat, you have no idea what it is like HERE
http://www.guaranteedhealthcare.org/facts

http://www.calnurses.org/about-us/

“Patients in the United Kingdom are most satisfied, the least likely to call for rebuilding their system, the most likely to say the system works basically well, a pattern that has persisted over six years, but grown more positive since 2001,” she said.

It’s a finding that may be surprising to many Americans, who commonly think nationalized health care leads to long lines and compromised quality.

But the survey of patients’ perceptions paints a different picture. Britons say they pay less to visit a doctor than their counterparts in the other survey countries, and they often are able to see a doctor the day they call for an appointment. In addition, Britons reported the fewest instances of inaccurate test results, and said they were quickly notified of any problems revealed by their tests.

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2004-11/2004-11-05-voa2.cfm

I will get the link to the Kucinich/Conyers video…

KDelphi I beg to differ with you. I am not in the minority in Canada. Yes I have heard many horror stories from family members and friends in the United States.

Please look deeper before you leap into a Universal Health Care system. Examine deeply Canada along with England, Russia and some European countries. Take the “best” of each and put together a “made for” the United States system.

(example) If you had known the truth before the invasion of Iraq would you do it anyway?

You should also know that the “tax free” day is now August 15th in Canada. Everything after August 15th is yours to spend, with everything before that date, going to all levels of government. Health care now eats up almost 50% of Canada’s entire budget.

DennisCambly, Canada—You are in the minority , then. I have been treated in Canada, and know people there.

I think that you are unaware of how bad it is here. Your costs sound tiny to me,

Please, send the article..since my “accident” (the guy was drunk and rich!) , I lost my govt pension, lost my social security, just to go on Medicaid, when my COBRA ran out. (you have to get SSI, basically, to get Medicaid here in Ohio). I get $620 a month, and, I havent seesn a brand name drug in years. They havent covered at least $10,000 of my care this year alone. My family has probably spent , at least, $350,000 i the last few years.Now, there is just no more. (I had two other sick family members)

I cannot file banruptcy, although I have almost $100,000 in bills now. I would lose my house here, which is only estimsted to be wroth about $44,000 now. (Thanks to the Biden et al bankruptcy bill)

I have also been treated in the,  now , EU. There is just no comparison. NOt all of us are fortunate enough to get , even the treatment displayed in Moore’s “Sicko”.

I followed Jim Swanso’;s site to a link for Norman Solomon, and found this: (pretty funny)

http://www.normansolomon.com/

GeorgeM—(off topic, but, thanks)“I think that there’s a lot that remains to look at, and I appreciate that President Obama doesn’t want to make it his purpose as a new president, with America in real distress in many directions, to go back and look at all this, but I think we in Congress have an independent responsibility, and I fully intend to discharge that responsibility,” Whitehouse said.”

Thanks for link! Agree with Whitehouse! (just think of that name…lol).

Acting up, letting them know that they will NOT retain our votes, if they do not do this. That is all I can think of. I have been calling, writing letters to newspapers, mags, etc, for years. People who have experienced care in the EU or Canada of Japan, need to be asked to testify about their experiences. There are so many falsehoods.

Hulk—Then, with no single payer, no “leaving traq”, no cut in the military budget, FISA Amendments, the Wall St Bailout, etc.—WHY vote Democratic??? The stars are lining up ; they have majorites . At least we know who to blame, if it doesnt even reach the floor…

Thanks Jim, 20,000 (and more ) people , this year,thank you, hope that that doesnt happen. It it does, I will never vote for a Dem again, on a matter of principle.

As long as the really big money and rampant propaganda are against national health, the best efforts of Dems, Obama, Hillary, CNA, and the poor will evaporate like snow in Tallahassee.  The Repubs and their ultra-wealthy backers will roll out their “EVIL SOCIALISM” campaign again - like McCarthy finding Reds in every corner. Watch Faux Snooze and Glenn Beck and Rush and Hannity and the rest waving banners of fear and loathing.  In fact, Gingrich-witch was on TV with George Stephanopolis Sunday practically claiming victory in advance - he nailed Hillary-care before and fully intends to block any improvements in health coverage.  Face it: unless the wealthy can profit from suffering and death they aren’t interest in any reforms.  “Them that has, gets”

Does anyone know how this story about the SEIU:

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/1/8/battle_within_seiu_comes_to_a

would affect the California Nurses Association? The CNA has been one of the most vocal supporters of single-payer.

http://www.nader.org/index.php?/archives/1722-Health-Care-Politics.html

GeorgeM—The Dems have a majority in both Houses They have the presidency. That was supposed to be the “strategy” to ‘getting single payer”.

I see no excuse for the Dems not to pass HR 676 , or something similar. Blue Dogs can be convinced. But, neither Obama nor Daschle seem to have any will to do it.

Please check out the link I posted above:pnhp.org, or pda.org. Also, see singlepayerRN’s post, as well as some at the article about Conyers NOT backing Gupta…the article I used for it (one of them) is at the pnhp.org link

Thanks

PS—Health care is a human right. Most Dems (and GOP) know this. We have to let them know that there will be consequneces if they do not pass it.

Lynn, RN—thank you also, an MSW

Amy,
I try to catch your program on a daily basis if I am able. I live in a progressive area where my Comcast package includes your program at 9A and 4P on a local Cable access channel. Of course you are on KPFA radio but I am a visual person who likes to see you and your guests.
We in the Single Payer movement are truly grateful for your tenacity in continuing to feature it on many of your programs. I sent your article to all my groups and told them how they can catch you online as well.
I attended the Chicago conf. in mid-November put on by Health Care Now which John Conyers and Quentin Young attended as well as SP folks from all across the country. We are bombarding Obama and Daschle with SP emails, votes,etc.
We aren’t happy with the pick of Daschle and Sanjay Gupta and are letting Obama know that. Daschle’s health care reform team has no one who is qualified to sit on it. All inside the beltway picks, corporate doctors, Harvard lawyers-no nurses, labor,faith-based org, org. who represent the un- and underinsured,etc. All comfortable with continuing the basic murder of Americans by the health insurance industry execs who make their $1.4 billion salary by denying care to insured members like Nataline Sarkisyan who died due to refusal to pay for a life-saving liver transplant.
You recently featured folks impacted by Bernie Madoff’s scam. I feel that we now need to expose and bring to justice these corrupt, greedy, selfish health insurance execs and expose their dirty, immoral deeds.
Keep up the great work for always presenting the unvarnished truth in a world gone mad.
Lynn Huidekoper,RN-Health Care for All-California
PS Thanks for the program with Sal Roselli, UHW-West, for exposing another corrupt person, Andy Stern. UHW is a big Single Payer supporter and Andy is not. I am sure he’s hoping to shut Sal up on that issue.

nino—I have never “driven to Starbucks for a Mocha”. (I’ve had two in my life, both at the local Starbucks in a grocery store—theyre too expensive)I understand what you are saying, but, the govt will only go as far on this one as we insist. What if we just decide that we will not take this corporate sh*t anymore?

The stats just dont bear out the arguments anymore. It would cost less than 1% of GDP—-so, what is the next excuse?

Amy, Thanks you.  I have to say that first. I really admire you and all that you have done (and will do).

You have to understand that all bets are off now. There are investment bankers and bullet makers that need the money far more than the cry baby citizens of this country. Sorry, I also listen to conservative radio for “balance.”

It’s like Climate Change. The more we cry about how bad it is getting, the more we still drive to Starbucks for a Mocha. Do you really think that this corporate government will actually do something for us people?

As things decline in this country and around the world the last thing that is going to be addressed are the un-insured. It’s frontier days all over again. Best learn what roots & weeds help that infection and not speculate if Obama is going to be more like Nixon or FDR.

The only “tinkering” that should be acceptable, would be to add some funds to SCHIP, Medicaid to states, etc. for emergency purposes. Overturning Medicare Part D, and Medicare Advantage would save almost enough to cover the under-insured…it would cost 1% of GDP to cover everyone. It is a matter of priorities.

All the truly progressive groups back single payer.

If we do it with the insurance industry (market or tax based), it will fail, as it will be too expensive. Or, many people will have to be left out. It is not “simply heatlh care”—it is a set of values. Do people matter more than profits and campaign money, or not…

Medicare (dis)advantatge:
http://www.healthbeatblog.org/2008/04/the-high-cost-o.html

The High Cost of Medicare Advantage
This post was written by Maggie Mahar & Niko Karvounis

“On Monday, the Bush Administration announced that next year payments to private insurers who offer Medicare to seniors will rise by 3.6 percent. This is a mistake. The last thing that the Medicare Advantage (MA) program needs is more money thrown at it. Indeed, MA has turned out to be a money-eating monster—in large part because the government gave it a blank check when the program was born, under the cover of darkness, in 2003….”

http://www.pnhp.org/news/articles_of_interest.php

New film indicts U.S. health care system - January 9, 2009
By PNHP staff
Dr. Paul Hochfeld, an emergency medicine physician in Corvallis, Ore., has produced and directed a new 47-minute film titled “Health, Money and Fear.” The DVD features interviews with over a dozen physicians, administrators, civic leaders and health policy experts on the problems of today’s U.S. health care “non-system” and the prospects for its reform.