Update on Single Payer from Dr. Margaret Flowers

[Joanne98]

Thank you for inviting me back, Joan. As you know, Physicians for a National Health Program does not support the new health law. Overall we find that it does more harm than good by further privatizing our health care and failing to address the fundamental problems of rising health care costs and lack of access to care for tens of millions of people. That said, we find the Republican plans to dismantle the health law reprehensible given that they are willing to remove what coverage was gained under the law and offer no effective alternative to our growing health care crisis.

The Republican calls to repeal the law are mere political posturing and will not succeed. In fact the health industries, which contributed more heavily to Republican campaigns in the last election cycle than to Democrats, do not want the full law repealed. The Republicans will more likely succeed in defunding portions of the bill and relaxing regulation of the health insurance industry. This will escalate our health care crisis.

The health law passed in 2010 has already begun to unravel as the Department of Health and Human Services has had to issue multiple waivers excusing businesses and insurance companies from complying with provisions in the law that they refused to meet. A large part of the increase in coverage under the law was based on an expansion of Medicaid, however, states are facing severe budget deficits which will prevent them from implementing the expansion. Republican efforts will likely accelerate the unraveling.

This is why PNHP and the many other organizations which advocate for single payer/improved Medicare for All continue to push forward in educating and building the grassroots voice for single payer. We recognize that our health care problems have not yet been appropriately addressed or solved.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Update-on-Single-Payer-fro-by-Joan-Brunwasser-110116-521.html

[Fumesucker]

1. Protections and subsidies will be gone...

The private individual mandate will remain.

Exactly as it was planned to start with.

[xchrom]

2. +1 -- socializing profits for insurance companies. nt

[MedicalAdmin]

3. Het one more reason that my wife, a doctor, and I are leaving.

Because single payer will not happen here. Ever.

It may happen in parts of what remains here after the USA destroys itself with greedand balkanization.

[Enthusiast]

4. You will watch from afar

as we morph into Idiocracy?

[MedicalAdmin]

5. Waddayamean afar?

It's happening right now all around us.

I just no longer hold out hope for things to improve. The rich have taken over the US and are happy to have it sink into the ocean in terms of the USA becoming a solidly stratified caste system. The rich will get more rich and the poor, assuming they are young and pretty enough, will become their temporary toys.

The US is dead last in health care among industialized nations, dead first in percentage and shear number of prisoners (most of whom are now slave labor), and the place where someone born poor or middle class can rise above their circumstances. Those day are long over.

THe US is done - it just remains to see who sticks the fork in it to check and what is left after the rich leave the table. And no, I ain't waitin around to see it happen nor put my family in a place and time where their futures are compromised.

What about you?

[Enthusiast]

6. I share your concerns.

Only those completely lacking awareness would not be alarmed.