Health care is a basic human right, not a privilege. For some reason, we’ve allowed ourselves as Americans to be fooled into accepting that one must be blessed with “means” to actuate appropriate health care. As a nation we have failed to realize that our health care system is a barometer of our society’s value for human life.

-Me

Friday, April 11, 2008

What Kind of Health Care Reform Does Bob Olson Support?



Bob Olson would like to see our country with single payer health care, and he has some great ideas to get our country moving in that direction.

P.S. I found this great excerpt on the Blog of the Political Muse.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Look at the single payor health care systems already established in other countries. Is health care a right for every citizen there? Or is it 'wait in line and hope you don't die of your condition before we get to you'?

If the government can't get Social Security and Medicare (which will bankrupt before SS) right, how can we expect them to do any better with the universal healthcare?

Sarah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah said...

"...wait in line and hope you don't die of your condition before we get to you."

Funny you mentioned "rationing" in these single-payer health care nations.

Did you know that rationing in the US, (rationing as defined by denial of care) is actually worse in the United States than in other industrialized nations (with single payer health care coverage.)


Some facts:

In 2007, the Percentage of US residents that did not fill prescription or skipped doses? 23%, this is compared to 13%, 8%, 11%, 2%, 10%, & 5% in the countries of Austria, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, and the UK

In 2007, what percentage of US residents had a medical problem but did not visit a doctor? 25%, as compared to 13%, 4%, 12%, 1%, 19%, or 2% in other countries

In 2007, what percentage of US residents skipped a test or treatment or follow-up? 17%, as compared to 5%, 8%, 2%, 13%, or 3% in other countries

(The source for the above percentages is the 2007 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey)

And, to make something clear, single payer health insurance is NOT socialized health care. The payer system changes from private to public, but the care does not change from private care to public. Even the benefits would not determined by legislators (government) but elected local officials on a board that the public nominates and elects.

What is so great about that? You would finally have some say about your benefit set. Now you have none. The people who currently make those decisions for private insurers are not held accountable to anyone for the choices they make in regards to what they will and will not cover.