When it comes to health care reform in America, there is a relatively simple solution that will cover everyone's basic health care, control costs and save businesses, most people and the country a lot of money.
It's called a single-payer health plan, where the government collects taxes to finance national health insurance. The government, which is the "single payer," covers all citizens and pays the bills when they visit private (or public) doctors, hospitals and other facilities for medical care.
All would have basic coverage, regardless of whether they have a job, or where they work. Nobody gets billed for basic care. No-body goes broke because of medical bills.
Yet this option has been declared "off the table" by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who's among those leading the charge for health care reform in America.
The writer works for a paper in Billings, so he manages not to mention the key point. Money. Go to maplight.org. Its a nice site that analyses campaign contribution records. If you look at Max Baucus, here's what you see as his top contributors.
Total Campaign Contributions Received: $15,975,018
Top 10 Interests Funding
Interest - Contributions
Attorneys & law firms - $950,692
Security brokers & investment companies - $478,703
Lobbyists & Public Relations - $477,870
Insurance companies, brokers & agents - $397,435
Other physician specialists - $322,699
Commercial banks & bank holding companies - $320,157
Pharmaceutical manufacturing - $294,620
Life insurance - $281,900
Pro-Israel - $280,191
Hospitals - $256,097
Gee, so why is it we can't have single-payer?
7 comments:
Hehe. Yr Obediant Servant. I just wonder who that is?
Just some entirely-too-negative blowhard who's plannin' for a bannin', I expect.
If Obama's Team is going to come out against single payer health care, which every country in the "free" world has, I wish they would just leave the issue alone. If you have to allow for insurance, pharmaceutical, etc. corporation profits, it will cost too much. Plus, allowing for health care to stay a commodity in a "free mkt system" (grrr..) just sends a message that your life is worth what you can afford to pay.
NO!!!! to market based elitist health insurance! NO!! to tax-rebate based , profit motivated heatlh care! If Obama cannot do better than Baucus's plan--just leave it alone!
If he passes his version it will set us back many years, greatly increase the pool of pre-existing conditons on Medicaid, etc. It is a BAD plan.
HR 676, or EU style health care, or leave it for someone else to fix. If you ram thourgh a gift to the health "insurance" corp. it will fail and give more excuses to do nothing for years!
If it doesnt cost more than $850 billion---talk to the hand....
I cannot remember who is was that left the "proxy" instructions the other day to post anonymously...it worked for me! I was surprised.
I think it might work on any site trying to censor people (probably not, for just censoring posts)
Could someone please print it again? The anonymouse wont let me comment. I am not so sure I need to comment---maybe it's my "spock baby" ness---DONT TELL ME WHAT TO DO! LOL! I want to be ABLE to post--if I want! What a tantrum---anyone got it anyway? Thanks
Even though Billings, MT is moderately conservative, I seriously doubt most folks even there would oppose it if only they were told the truth. Employer-care is the most sickening idea as it is and if you're unemployed or part time, it gets even worse. And don't get me started on Massachusetts Care where you have to pay to receive piss care or pay more fines which is a one way ticket to big insurance anyway.
KDelphi,
On the proxy issue, RichM posted this on
http://commondebate.blogspot.com/2008/11/system-on-edge.html
I would be careful on using proxies to post though. CD will only make it harder to access but then again, maybe that will bite them back and then they'll be forced to cut down on their nasty banning and censorship.
KD...
Also from RichM:
Go to certainyproxy.com. Enter "www.commondreams.org" (without the quotes) into the box, and click the 'browse' button. This takes you to CD. When you get there, there's a big box at the top that automatically already has "http://www.commondreams.org" in it. Leave the boxes marked "Accept Cookies" and "Show Images" checked; and uncheck the others. Then click the "Go" button to the right of the big box at the top.
After that, you can access CD and post to it. They can't tell what IP you're writing from.
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