Friday, February 8, 2008
Universal health care a moral, fiscal priority
British philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote, “Mankind has become so much one family that we cannot ensure our own prosperity except by ensuring that of everyone else.”
Part of ensuring that prosperity is through universal health care. The current system is ineffective.
Virtually every state in the nation with the exception of Oklahoma has a chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program.
Why is this?
The attitude of many Oklahoma doctors towards universal health care as it is practiced in every industrialized nation with the sole exception of the U.S. is identical to those of Canadian doctors 40 years ago.
After laws were passed mandating universal health care in Saskachewan, most Canadian doctors refused to obey those laws.
They were intractably opposed to a single payer system that covered everyone regardless of ability to pay.
There is little doubt this scenario will be replayed before the dinosaur mentality of today’s American doctors change, private medical insurance companies no longer exist, and universal health care becomes law in this nation.
Doctors, like the general public, refuse to think of health care in the same way they think about public education, fire protection, road construction, postal service, civil service, legislative, all levels of law enforcement, and all branches of the military (all with health insurance paid for through public taxation).
Health care of incarcerated persons and veterans are paid for through public taxation. So many people with subsidized health plans translates to 60 percent of Americans, yet few realize they are already well on their way to universal health care.
Canadian doctors 36 years ago (like most U.S. doctors today) held the notion that for-profit medical care was essential to the “best health care in the world.”
Like Canadian doctors decades ago, many U.S. doctors claim to have the “best health care in the world.”
Invariably they fail to add the phrase, “if you can afford it.”
They fail to see that 47 million Americans can not afford health insurance.
They fail to see that an equal number of millions are underinsured, a condition that is almost as bad and can spell stress and bankruptcy.
Unintended consequences have resulted in huge emergency room expenses at public expense.
Emergency care is the only guaranteed medical care in the U.S.
It is the most expensive and also the most punitive. Unlike other nations, the U.S. fails to understand that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” a failure that guarantees excessive cost. Inability to pay medical bills is now the leading cause of bankruptcy, and is a detriment to the health of the nation.
With regard to the number of Americans who have no medical insurance of any kind, Frosty Troy, editor of the Oklahoma Observer, writes in the November 2006 issue, “Thankful? For more than 46 million medically uninsured, up six million since Bush began his second term. Virtually every nation in the world has a national health care program — but not America. Yet we spend three times more on medical care.”
U.S. Representative Pete Stark D-California said, “For the richest country in the world not to have universal health care is a crime.”
He continued, “Couldn’t we just join the rest of the world.”
There is a growing conviction that it’s not acceptable “that people who are poor should die because they’re poor.”
Universal health care advocates are not willing to be grateful for what they have while others go without. They believe the attitude of “I’ve got mine, you get yours” is neither ethical or moral.
Advocates for health care reform think the attitude towards those 46 million without health insurance to “just suck it up and be grateful for what you have “, is not ethical or moral.
A Canadian legislator summed it up succinctly when he looked me in the eye and said, “For profit health care is immoral.” Dr. Patel, my Canadian doctor in Gimli, Manitoba, said, “I make plenty of money. .. I don’t have to lock my doors at night and I don’t have to worry about patients paying their bills”.
He added, “American health care is a money making machine.”
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However:
Comment on 08-Feb-08 at 1:12 pm
can the country really afford something like this right now, when our deficit is already astronomical, and the dollar is dropping like lead? The only way would be for MASSIVE tax increases, and frankly, for younger people who visit the doc rarely if ever, that’s just not fair!
randy:
Comment on 08-Feb-08 at 2:52 pm
we need health care so vote for oboma
jacksmith:
Comment on 09-Feb-08 at 12:43 am
Bottom Line:
Like all of you. I know that health care is the most critical, and important issue facing the American people. Now, and in the coming elections. And like the vast majority of the American people, I want HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law NOW! “Single payer, Tax Supported, Not For Profit, True Universal Health Care” free for all as a right. Like every other developed country in the world has. See: http://www.house.gov/conyers/news_hr676.htm
“HR 676:
For church goers: less money to insur. companies and more to the church- lots more.
Srs on Medicare: save way over $100/wk. Because no more medigap, long term care & dental insur. needed. No more drug bills.”
But if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our current politicians to get HR 676 passed into law before the elections. We will have to identify, and replace all the politicians standing in the way of passage of HR 676. And, I think the best first place to start is with the politicians that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bills for the kids. Passed by congress four times.
But what about the President. It was Bush after all that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bill passed by congress to assure more health coverage for Americas kids. So which of the presidential hopefuls do I think will be most supportive of implementing the demand of the majority of the American people to have HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law immediately!
We have some very fine presidential candidates who would make good presidents. But none of the top Presidential candidates directly support HR 676, the only true Universal Health Care plan. So I am supporting Hillary Clinton. She is the only top candidate that has ever actually fought for universal health care before.
I have enormous admiration, and respect for Hillary Clinton. She fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds back in 1993. To prevent this disastrous health care crisis that is now devastating the American people, and America. She fought so hard for the American people that she risk almost completely destroying her husbands presidency. I haven’t forgotten her heroic effort. If any Presidential hopeful for universal health care deserves my support, it’s her.
Also, if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our government to give us HR 676 which we all so desperately need NOW! Then we will need the most skilled politician we can get on our side to broker the best health care plan for the American people that we can get. Though it will be less than we need, and less than we deserve. The politician I think to best do this is Hillary Clinton. The Clinton’s are probably the most skilled politicians in American history.
The insurance industry, and medical industry that has been ripping you off, and killing you has given Hillary Clinton so much money because they fear her. They have also given Barack Obama so much money because they fear Hillary Clinton. They think they can manipulate Barack Obama against the best interest of the American people better than they can manipulate Hillary Clinton. There is no race issue with Hillary Clinton. The Clinton’s are the poster family for how African Americans want white people to be towards African Americans.
As always, African Americans are suffering, and dieing in this health care crisis at a much higher rate than any other group in America. The last time there was any significant drop in the African American death rate was when Bill Clinton was president.
My fellow Americans, you are dieing needlessly at an astounding rate. In higher numbers than any other people in the developed world. Rich, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Young, and old. Men, women, children, and babies. And we the American people must stop it. And fix it NOW! Keep Fighting!!! Never! give up hope. There are millions of lives at stake. Bless you all… You are doing great!
Brandon Shirey:
Comment on 15-Feb-08 at 9:54 am
HELLS YEA