Single Payer Health Insurance for America

Single payer health insurance is not new to American politics. When Teddy Roosevelt ran for President of the United States under the Bullmoose Party (after having served two terms as a Republican) his party platform stated, "The supreme duty of the Nation is the conservation of human resources through an enlightened measure of social and industrial justice. We pledge ourselves to work unceasingly in State and Nation for … the protection of home life against the hazards of sickness, irregular employment and old age through the adoption of a system of social insurance adapted to American use." That was 1912.

Fast forward to March 2009 and President Barack Obama, "The problems we face today are a direct consequence of actions that we failed to take yesterday. Since Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform nearly a century ago, we have talked and we have tinkered. We have tried and fallen short, we’ve stalled for time, and again we have failed to act because of Washington politics or industry lobbying."

The United States is in danger of falling short again. Montana Senator Max Backward, I mean, Baucus, is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee holding hearings on health care reform. Kevin Zeese, Executive Director of the Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean Politics, wrote, "Baucus has held two hearings so far and has refused to allow advocates for the most popular reform – a single payer national health policy – to even testify. Single payer, improved Medicare for all, is favored by more than 60% of Americans as well as majorities of doctors, nurses and economists. It is the most cost-effective and efficient way to provide health care to all Americans from cradle to grave."

Zeese points out that Senator Backward, I mean, Baucus, received the following campaign contributions in 2008:

Americans Need to Unite

Even though recent polls show 60% of Americans favor a single payer system, there is still resistance that is very similar to the naysayers who opposed mortgage bailouts. "I don’t think I should have to pay my taxes because my neighbor bought a house he couldn’t afford." I’m sure you’ve heard that time and again.

Let me ask you a question or three. Do you pay taxes to provide Fire Department coverage for your neighbor who left a space heater too close to a set of drapes? Do you pay taxes to provide free public education to every child in America? Do you pay taxes to provide Police Department protection for those folks across town living next to a crack house? Sure you do! Everyone deserves fire protection, police protection and a free public education. Like Teddy Roosevelt said, we all deserve "protection of home life against the hazards of sickness."

Physicians for a National Health Program answer questions on their website like, "Is national health insurance ‘socialized medicine’?" They answer, "No. Socialized medicine is a system in which doctors and hospitals work for and draw salaries from the government. Doctors in the Veterans Administration and the Armed Services are paid this way. The health systems in Great Britain and Spain are other examples. But in most European countries, Canada, Australia and Japan they have socialized health insurance, not socialized medicine. The government pays for care that is delivered in the private (mostly not-for-profit) sector. This is similar to how Medicare works in this country. Doctors are in private practice and are paid on a fee-for-service basis from government funds. The government does not own or manage medical practices or hospitals."

I already pointed out how Senator Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas is probably in the pocket of insurance and pharmaceutical companies. You might want to read this article about her (Sen. Blanche Lincoln Co-sponsors SHOP)and then check out your own members of Congress. Let’s do something right this time. We’ve been talking about it for nearly 100 years. It’s time to get out of the outhouse and solve this health care mess once and for all.

What others are saying about Single Payer Health Insurance

Green Party Joins Single Payer Health Care National Day of Action – Green Party leaders stressed that the ‘options’ plans favored by many Democrats are designed to sustain for-profit insurance companies through massive taxpayer-funded subsidies or mandates, and said that Single-Payer removes the private …

Get Out In the Streets And FIGHT for Universal, Single Payer … – Yes, single payer universal health care is socialized medicine. It is not socialism. It is just like we do for police, fire-departments, roads, schools.. and it is a huge, despicable lie when right wingers try to frame it as something akin … a desperate lie which serves only the giant health care corporations. When someone says single payer universal health insurance is socialism, simply reply “only to morons and right wing traitors who put corporations before country.” …

Make It the Baucus 13 « Single Payer Action – On their backs, they wore signs that said “Nurses Say: Stop AHIP. Pass Single Payer.” (AHIP stands for America’s Health Insurance Plans – the health insurance industry lobby.) After the 30 nurses were led out of the room, …