This week the National Nurses Organizing Committee and the California Nurses Association distributed the results of the first study built from an econometric model of the current face of health care.
Simply put, this study provides an analysis of the economic benefits of healthcare to the overall economy. It demonstrates how changes in direct healthcare delivery affect all significant sectors touched by healthcare, and how sweeping healthcare reform can help drive the nation’s economic recovery. Bottom line conclusions; Single Payer Health care reform would create 2.6 million jobs, infuse $317 billion in new business and public revenues as well as $100 billion in wages into the economy. http://www.calnurses.org/.
Why shouldn’t we get serious about this? Why do we continue to wrap ourselves in the cliché by taking as truth such statements as “I support SP, but it is just too expensive”, “too difficult to put in place”, “the public does not support it”, “not economically feasible” or some other comparable sop. Why do we continue to give credibility to Harry and Louise chatter? Maybe we don’t want to rock our own personal boats or, perhaps we really don’t want to participate in anything so leveling as a public program. Maybe we have been overcome by the complexity of the reimbursement system or have succumbed to right wing propaganda that SP is creeping Socialism.
Whatever the reason, this study should be instrumental in sweeping away past fears and prejudices, and replacing them with red, white and blue attitudes, hopeful national economic inspiration and
not leastly, necessary health care for all Americans.
Do we think we can get serious about this? I know we can. We met at house parties all over the country during December. Over the past week Single Payer has ranked number three in the issues presented to the listening online Obama team. In the words of Donna Smith, community organizer for the California Nurses Assn, http://www.calnurses.org,
…in light of these study results, if there remain those who argue a single payer system is not politically feasible, it will certainly be because of a specific and direct desire to keep the profit motive in healthcare and not the desire for a healthier and more secure America.
From the media center at http://www.calnurses.org is this:
Adding all Americans to an expanded Medicare could be achieved for $63 billion beyond the current $2.1 trillion in direct healthcare spending. The $63 billion is six times less than the federal bailout for CitiGroup, and less than half the federal bailout for AIG. Solely expanding Medicare to cover the 47 million uninsured Americans (as of 2006 data on which the study is based) could be accomplished for $44 billion.
And then consider this hypothetical about just how much it will cost taxpayers to subsidize the mandated plan now being proposed by the Obama camp. Health care costs are projected to be 4 trillion dollars by 2012. If we subsidize insurance for administering the mandated plans to the tune of 15% (this is the current fee for Medicare Advantage plans), the tab would come to over a half a trillion dollars per year. And, one trillion per year if we maintain their current 30% margin.
The results of this study are now in the hands of the Obama team and Ms. Smith states that participating nurses were “welcomed as healthcare policy stakeholders”. A sour note is that HHS Secretary Tom Daschle has seemingly already eliminated Single Payer as a viable contender. In his book, “Critical, What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis”, he mentions single payer briefly just one time and labels it “not feasible”. Daschle doesn’t seem to be on board. He will need encouragement. Single Payer Health Care Reform is Obama’s ticket to greatness. Let’s see if he picks it up
To Mr. Daschle:
My own experience has found mentioning “Medicare for all” has met with great enthsiasm. Beyond my personal experience, poll after poll has shown that the public has said they are are resoundingly for government financed healthcare instead of the present privately provided system; a system which has not only excluded so many but even the supposedly insured find they have far less coverage than led to believe when they need the insurance most.
Mr Daschle, to say single payer (Medicare) is not possible is not framing the idea to the public properly. Medicare is not only the most successful government program besides Social Security but probably one of the most accepted and popular of all time. Ask your parents and grandparents and their children.
Using Medicare as the basis of your discussion and you win; not only with the already present support and overwhelming enthusiasm of the American public but with the U.S. Congress as well. Congress would disagree and oppose” Medicare for all ” at their peril and they are WELL AWARE OF THIS FACT! They may fear the health insurers but they fear the American public more. More important, they may not know how much the public loathes the insurers and would welcome them out of the healthcare picture. MEDICARE FOR ALL DOES JUST THIS!
Mr.Daschle, you may have it backwards: try assuming victory (with Medicare for ALL) BEFORE YOU ASSUME DEFEAT IN THE CONGRESS. And be prepared for a surprise; that it wins. Victory can never be achieved by retreating at the beginning of a battle. No great general ever won that way.