Objections To A Single-Payer Plan In America

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1) The government can't run anything. I don'texcess health care capacity. Typical of these
trust the government.excesses is the fact that there are more MRI
The current gang in Washington may be a goodscanners in Orange County, CA than in all of
reason not to trust the government to doCanada.
ANYTHING right.With our generous funding and the tremendous
However, Medicare and Social Security are goodcapacity of our health care delivery system, the
examples of systems that run well and on time.delays would not be a significant limiting factor in
People receive their checks the same time everythe U.S.
month and health care is provided: on time.5) Americans do not want "Socialized Medicine."
2) I'm a free market person and don't want anySocialized medicine is a system in which the
part of "socialized medicine."government owns the facilities, and the providers
Single Payer Insurance is defined as a singleof care are government employees.
government fund with each state which paysIn sharp contrast, a single payer system uses the
hospitals, physicians and other health careexisting private and public sector health care
providers, thus replacing the current multi-payerdelivery systems, preserving private ownership
system of private insurance companies.and employment. The unique feature of a single
It would provide coverage for the fifty millionpayer system is that all health care risks are
people who are uninsured.placed in a universal risk pool, covering everyone.
It would eliminate the financial threat and impairedThe pool is funded in a fair and equitable manner
access to care for tens of millions who do notso that everyone pays their fair share in taxes,
have coverage and are unable to afford theunlike our current defective system in which
out-of-pocket expenses because of deficiencies insome pay far too much while others are not
their insurance plans.paying their share. The funds are allocated
It would return to the patient free choice ofthrough a publicly administered program resulting
health care provider and hospitals, not the choicein optimum use of our health care dollars.
that only the restrictive health plans allow.A single payer system has no more in common
It would relieve businesses of the administrativewith socialized medicine than our current Medicare
hassle and expense of maintaining a healthprogram.
benefits program.Socialism is a dirty word in this country. Universal
It would remove from the health care equationhealth care for all has been equated with socialism,
the middleman-the managed care industry-thatand much propaganda has been communicated by
has broken the traditional doctor-patientthe press, by right wing politicians, by medical
relationship, while diverting outrageous amounts ofgroups such as the AMA or anyone else who has
patient care dollars to their own coffers.an agenda to keep the 1500 plus health insurance
It would control health care inflation throughcompanies a thriving market with profits that
constructive mechanisms of cost containmentundoubtedly help to pay for their agendas.
that improve allocation of our health care6) A Universal Single-Payer would lower the
resources, rather than controlling costs through anstandard of care to a level of mediocrity for
impersonal business ethic that robs patients ofeveryone, preventing the affluent from exercising
care so as to increase profits for the privilegedhis or her option to obtain the highest level of
few. Single Payer Universal Health Care wouldcare.
provide access to high quality care for everyoneOur current system is characterized by essentially
at affordable prices.two alternatives: either no insurance with severely
3) Canadians have long waiting periods and comeimpaired access to even a mediocre level of care,
to the U.S. for their health care needs. Therefore,or being insured by a managed care industry that
such a plan would make for waiting periods in thehas whittled down what is available until mediocrity
U.S.has become the standard of care. Only the
First of all, ask almost any Canadian if they wouldrelatively affluent have access to unlimited care.
trade our system for theirs. The answer is aThe generous level of funds that we have
resounding "NO."already dedicated to health care, adding to this a
They may have to wait for elective surgeries, formore efficient administration with an exclusive
instance, but we have to wait for these kinds ofmission of optimum patient care well above the
surgeries, as well.mediocrity that we now have, lays the foundation
Canadians have the option to buy extra coveragefor a universal health care system in America.
to get heroic measures covered, say in the caseA single payer system does not preclude the
of Cancer treatment.affluent from paying, outside the system, for a
At 9% of their GDP, they are spending much lesspenthouse suite in the hospital, or for cosmetic
than we are as a nation. We, the wealthiest nationsurgery or for any other service that would not
on earth, spend 14 % of our GDP.be part of a publicly funded program.
4) Our country cannot afford to insure everyone.But if Americans knew the truth, and would turn
Our country already has enough funds dedicatedoff their TVs and use that time instead to change
to health care to provide the highest quality ofthis country, using the power of grassroots
care for everyone. Studies have shown thatpolitics, to make a single payer universal system a
under a single payer system, comprehensive carereality for all, then we would finally have the best
can be provided for everyone without spendinghealth care system in the world.
any more funds than are now being spent.Any group with the passion to change the world,
Not only do we have more than sufficient funds,one issue at a time, with a loving intent, can do it.