Americans Should Support The Physicians For A National Health Program Single-Payer Plan (Chirolas)
A plan like Physicians for a National Health Program National Health Plan should be supported by whomever you vote for.
William Chirolas -- World News Trust
March 21, 2007 -- When told single-payer national health is not obviously the only solution, point out the facts.
I have been an actuary in life and health and pensions and investments and tax for more than 40 years, and except for this topic I have never seen a topic where the information all points to only one decision/one path -- namely to accept the path suggested -- only to find that most of the people in the room with the power to make the decision all refuse to go in that direction.
There are so many great studies out there, all pointing to the same conclusion, and indeed there are studies for every objection ever made to single-payer national health. Amazingly, there are nearly no studies supporting those that are fighting the idea, so they are reduced to slogans and selling myths and lies.
Perhaps the best source for links to all the studies is the web site produced by the Physicians for a National Health Program National Health Plan http://www.pnhp.org. After reading the information I am sure you will conclude that your Senator and Representative, if they are not supporting, loudly, single payer national health, then they are either too stupid to represent you, or too corrupt and in bed with the insurance companies to be your representatives. Below are some links (also available on the http://www.pnhp.org site, that refute every lie, every myth you have been told, and also give you the real research data. In the 2008 election, a plan like Physicians for a National Health Program National Health Plan should be supported by whomever you vote for.
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 person), 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 United States leaves 46 million persons completely uninsured and millions more inadequately covered.
The reason we spend more and get less than the rest of the world is because we have a patchwork system of for-profit payers. Private insurers necessarily waste health dollars on things that have nothing to do with care: overhead, underwriting, billing, sales and marketing departments as well as huge profits and exorbitant executive pay. Doctors and hospitals must maintain costly administrative staffs to deal with the bureaucracy. Combined, this needless administration consumes one-third (31 percent) of Americans’ health dollars.
Single-payer financing is the only way to recapture this wasted money. The potential savings on paperwork, more than $350 billion per year, are enough to provide comprehensive coverage to everyone without paying any more than we already do.
Under a single-payer system, all Americans would be covered for all medically necessary services, including: doctor, hospital, long-term care, mental health, dental, vision, prescription drug, and medical supply costs. Patients would regain free choice of doctor and hospital, and doctors would regain autonomy over patient care.
Physicians would be paid fee-for-service according to a negotiated formulary or receive salary from a hospital or nonprofit HMO / group practice. Hospitals would receive a global budget for operating expenses. Health facilities and expensive equipment purchases would be managed by regional health planning boards.
A single-payer system would be financed by eliminating private insurers and recapturing their administrative waste. Modest new taxes would replace premiums and out-of-pocket payments currently paid by individuals and business. Costs would be controlled though negotiated fees, global budgeting and bulk purchasing.
The links below will lead you to more specific information on the details of single-payer:
Single-Payer Overviews
The Physicians Proposal for National Health Insurance
“Proposal of the Physicians’’ Working Group for Single-Payer National Health Insurance,” JAMA 290(6): Aug 30, 2003 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/physicians_p...
Key Features of Single-Payer
A useful handout detailing the main features of single-payer. http://www.pnhp.org/facts/key_features_of_singlepayer.p...
Statement of Dr. Marcia Angell introducing the U.S. National Health Insurance Act
A great overview of the need for and logic of a single-payer system. Perfect as an introductory handout. http://www.pnhp.org/facts/dr_marcia_angell.php
Liberal Benefits, Conservative Spending
Another great introductory handout. http://www.pnhp.org/PDF_files/LiberalBenefitsConservati...
Public Citizen's Response to the Citizens' Health Care Working Groups Interim Recommendations
A great overview on the benefits of a single-payer system by Public Citizen. http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/public_citiz...
Rep. Dennis Kucinich Tackles Health Care
Rep. Kucinich talks with Truthdig about the health care crisis in America. http://www.pnhp.org/news/2006/november/rep_dennis_kucin...
Single Payer: Facts and Myths
Single Payer FAQ
A frequently-updated catalog of the most-asked questions about single-payer. http://www.pnhp.org/facts/singlepayer_faq.php
Myths as Barriers to Health Care Reform
A paper refuting many of the myths associated with single-payer. http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/myths_as_bar...
“Mythbusters” by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
A series of brief papers debunking the common misconceptions about the Canadian health system. http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/mythbusters_...
“Moral Hazard:” The Myth of the Need for Rationing
http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/moral_hazard...
Rasell, E “Cost Sharing in Health Insurance – A Reexamination,” New Eng J Med., 332(7) 1995
Roos, et al “Does Comprehensive Insurance Encourage Unnecessary Use?” Can. Med. Assoc. J 170(2) Jan. 20, 2004
Gladwell, M. “The Moral Hazard Myth,” New Yorker Aug. 29, 2005
Health Economics and Financing
Introduction: How Much Would a Single-Payer System Cost? A review of government and independent studies of the cost of single-payer system. http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/introduction...
Administrative Waste Consumes 31 Percent of Health Spending - Woolhandler, et al “Costs of Health Administration in the U.S. and Canada,” NEJM 349(8) Sept. 21, 2003 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/administrati...
Administrative Costs in U.S. Hospitals are More Than Double Canada’s
Woolhandler, et al “Administrative Costs in U.S. Hosptials,” NEJM 329, Aug. 5, 1993 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/administrati...
60 Percent of Health Spending is Already Publicly Financed, Enough to Cover Everyone =Woolhandler, et al. “Paying for National Health Insurance – And Not Getting It,” Health Affairs 21(4); July / Aug. 2002 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/60_percent_o...
A Proposal for Financing National Health Insurance
Rasell, Edith “An Equitable Way to Pay for Universal Coverage,” International Journal of Health Services. 29(1); 1999 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/a_proposal_f...
"Liberal Benefits, Conservative Spending"
Grumbach, et al. JAMA, May 15, 1991, Vol. 265 No. 19 http://www.pnhp.org/publications/liberal_benefits_conse...
The Case Against For-Profit Care
Overview: The High Costs of For-Profit Care
Editorial by David Himmelstein, MD and Steffie Woolhandler, MD in the Canadian Medical Association Journal -For-Profit Hospitals Cost More and Have Higher Death Rates http://www.pnhp.org/PDF_files/ForProfitCare.pdf
Devereaux, PJ “Payments at For-Profit and Non-Profit Hospitals,” Can. Med. Assoc. J., Jun 2004; 170 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/forprofit_ho...
Devereaux, PJ “Mortality Rates of For-Profit and Non-Profit Hospitals,” Can. Med. Assoc. J, May 2002; 166
For-Profit Hospitals Cost More and Have Higher Administration Expenses
Himmelstein, et al “Costs of Care and Admin. At For-Profit and Other Hospitals in the U.S.” NEJM 336, 1997 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/forprofit_ho...
For-Profit HMOs Provide Worse Quality Care -
Himmelstein, et al “Quality of Care at Investor-Owned vs. Not-for-Profit HMOs” JAMA 282(2); July 14, 1999 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/forprofit_hm...
For-Profit Medicare Plans Cost 11 Percent More Than Traditional Medicare
MedPac Report, Jun 9, 2006 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/forprofit_me...
Quality and Malpractice
Introduction: Medical Malpractice, Health Care Quality and Health Care Reform (pdf)
A Forum Report by Gordon Schiff, MD http://www.pnhp.org/reader/Section%205%20-%20Quality%20...
How Single-Payer Improves Health Care Quality (pdf)
A brief by PNHP (makes a great handout!) http://www.pnhp.org/facts/quality.pdf
A Better Quality Alternative: Single-Payer National Health Insurance -Schiff, et al
http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/a_better_qua...
“A Better Quality Alternative” JAMA, 272(10); Sept. 12 1994 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/a_better_qua...
Comprehensive Quality Improvement Requires Comprehensive Reform (pdf) -Schiff, et al “You Can’t Leap a Chasm in Two Jumps,” Public Health Reports 116, Sept / Oct 2001 http://www.pnhp.org/reader/Section%205%20-%20Quality%20...
The Failures of Other Reform Options
Individual Mandates (The Massachusetts Plan) http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/individual_m...
Consumer Directed Health Care and Health Savings Accounts http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/consumer_dir...
Tax Credits for Private Insurance http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/tax_credits_...
Why HSAs Won't Cure What Ails U.S. Health Care http://www.cmwf.org/publications/publications_show.htm?...
Critique of Sen. Wyden's (OR) "Healthy Americans Act" http://www.pnhp.org/news/2006/december/lewin_group_anal...
Comparison between Schwarzenegger Health Plan and Single Payer for California http://www.pnhp.org/news/2007/january/comparison_betwee...
State Single-Payer Bills
Arizona
http://www.pnhp.org/PDF_files/AZSinglePayerBill.pdf
Colorado
http://www.pnhp.org/PDF_files/ColoradoSinglePayerBill.p...
International Health Systems
I. Canada
The Canadian Health System: Lessons for the United States
US General Accounting Office Report, June 1991 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/the_canadian...
A Survey of the Canadian Health System - Armstrong, et al “A Perfect System?” excerpted from Universal Health Care, New York Press, 1998
http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/a_survey_of_...
A Survey of Studies Comparing the U.S. and Canada (pdf)
PNHP Brief, May 2006 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/CAN_Comparis...
The Future of Health Care in Canada (pdf)
Report of the Romanow Commission http://www.pnhp.org/reader/Section%206%20-%20Canadian%2...
II. International Comparisons
The U.S. spends more for less because of its fragmented financing system - Anderson, G. et al, "It’s the Prices, Stupid: Why the United States is so Different from Other Countries," Health Affairs 22(3), May/June 2004-http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/the_us_spend...
U.S. Care Quality is No Better Than Other Countries -Hussey, P. et al "How Does the Quality of Care Compare in Five Countries?" Health Affairs 23(3) May/June 2004 http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/us_care_qual...
Single-Payer Bibliography
A bibliography of single-payer studies and papers http://www.pnhp.org/reader/
***
William Chirolas brings 40 years of real-world business experience in local, state, national, and international tax, pensions, and finance to the world of blogging. A graduate of MIT, he calls the Boston area home, except when visiting kids and grandkids. He can be reached at: \n
- CreatedTuesday, March 20, 2007
- Last modifiedWednesday, November 06, 2013
World Desk Activities
www.niemanlab.org/2024/04/inside-newsweek-ai-exper…
www.journalismfestival.com/programme/2024/reader-r…
Reader revenue beyond the English language – – International Journalism Festival
In the past few months, many news publishers in the US have announced layoffs. Others have tweaked or abandoned their paywalls and pursued more open models.…
phys.org/news/2024-04-surf-clams-coast-virginia-re…
Surf clams off the coast of Virginia reappear and rebound
The Atlantic surf clam, an economically valuable species that is the main ingredient in clam chowder and fried clam strips, has returned to Virginia waters…
medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-antibiotics-reveal-…
Antibiotics reveal a new way to fight cancer
Cancer cells grow and spread by hiding from the body's immune system. Immunotherapy allows the immune system to find and attack hidden cancer cells, helping…
phys.org/news/2024-04-crucial-quantum-internet.htm…
Crucial connection for 'quantum internet' made for the first time
Researchers have produced, stored, and retrieved quantum information for the first time, a critical step in quantum networking.
medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-women-major-complic…
Women who experience major complications during pregnancy found to have increased risk of early death years later
A team of medical researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center, in the U.S., and Lund University, in Sweden, has found via study…
medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-common-hiv-treatmen…
Common HIV treatments may aid Alzheimer's disease patients
Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently afflicts nearly seven million people in the U.S. With this number expected to grow to nearly 13 million by 2050, the…
medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-adolescent-stress-p…
Study suggests adolescent stress may raise risk of postpartum depression in adults
In a new study, a Johns Hopkins Medicine-led research team reports that social stress during adolescence in female mice later results in prolonged elevation of…
Latest Stories
Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Speaking Freely: Obioma Okonkwo April 23, 2024
- Screen Printing 101: EFF's Spring Speakeasy at Babylon Burning April 23, 2024
- Podcast Episode: Right to Repair Catches the Car April 23, 2024
- U.S. Senate and Biden Administration Shamefully Renew and Expand FISA Section 702, Ushering in a Two Year Expansion of Unconstitutional Mass Surveillance April 22, 2024
The Intercept
- “Little Home Market”: The Connecticut Company Accused of Fueling an Execution Spree April 25, 2024
- House Responds to Israeli-Iranian Missile Exchange by Taking Rights Away from Americans April 25, 2024
- U.S.-Trained Burkina Faso Military Executed 220 Civilians April 25, 2024
- “Kill All Arabs”: The Feds Are Investigating UMass Amherst for Anti-Palestinian Bias April 24, 2024
VTDigger
- Senate passes budget that would reduce motel program room capacity by a third April 25, 2024
- Bennington lawmaker pleads not guilty to DUI charge April 25, 2024
- Vermont Senate passes $8.6 billion state budget, teeing up negotiations with the House April 25, 2024
- Jonathan Elwell: A new prison is nothing new April 25, 2024
Mountain Times -- Central Vermont
- Mountain Times -Volume 52, Number 17, April 24-20, 2024 April 24, 2024
- Weekly Horoscope — April 24-30, 2024 April 24, 2024
- Loon vs. Canada goose: A battle for Goose Poop Island April 24, 2024
- A break in the action April 24, 2024