Monday, June 15, 2009

Another Excellent Article Arguing for Single Payer

I am rather lazy this weekend (I have Monday off), and so I am just going to introduce another great article on health care reform and an argument for single-payer. This from the web-magazine Swans, American Sick Care Vs. Wellnes by Gilles d'Aymery

And just a couple of my favorite exerpts:

"A recent study shows that the country is wasting about $700 billion, or about 30 percent of all sick care costs, in unnecessary procedures created by fee-for-service specialists who not only are paid to provide the services, but create the services in the first place. Not surprisingly, these specialists are by-and-large members of the American Medical Association, which has come out against any kind of public-financing system.

They, and the paid-for ideological whores in the commentariat, wail against public financing and finger out Canada as the evil incarnate lurching to bring socialism to our beloved freedom-loving country."

"Perhaps the biggest hogwash of all that needs to be swiftly dispelled is the argument made by the opponents of a single-payer system that it would significantly increase taxes. How people can repeat this humbug with a straight face is beyond comprehension. If you are self-employed and buy your own insurance or you get your insurance through your employer, premiums are paid to the for-profit insurance companies. With a single payer-system these premiums -- while about 30 percent lower -- would be paid to, say Medicare. They are not taxes, even if collected through Payroll. They are premiums -- with lower or no deductibles and co-pays, and much cheaper prescription drugs."

Read the piece in its entirety at: http://www.swans.com/library/art15/ga270.html

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