Getyourinsurancecompanyoutofmyhealthcare

TheUSAspendsmoreofitsGDPonhealthcare(17.9%versusthenexthighest,
Netherlands12.4%),yet,withcurrentlyover40millionuninsured,itisoneofthreemajor
industrializednations(MexicoandTurkey)thatdoesnotguaranteehealthinsuranceasa
righttoitscitizens.Forallofthisspending,theUSAisonlyranked37
th
inoverallhealthby
theWorldHealthOrganization.Inaddition,a2009Harvardstudyconcludedupto45,000
dieeachyearfromalackofinsuranceandaseparatestudyconcludedover2/3ofall
personalbankruptcieswererelatedtomedicaldebts.

Veryfewdenythatsignificantreformisneeded.Aftercampaigningwiththepromiseof
healthreform,PresidentObamacouldveeitherdoubleddownonthefreemarketsystem
thathastragicallyfailedusorhecouldvelobbiedforasinglepayerImprovedMedicare
forAllsystemsimilartoCanadas.Asiftheforprofithealthinsurancecompanieshadhim
inaheadlock,Mr.ObamachosetosubmittothelargestDClobbyintermsoffinancesand
introducethemarketbasedPatientProtectionandAffordableCareAct(PPACA).The
PPACAdoesincludemanywelcomeprovisionsthatprotectinsuredcitizensagainsthealth
insurancecompaniesnotoriouschicanery.Butthislawcomeswiththecostofamandate
thatAmericansdobusinesswithcorporationswhoseprimarypurposeistoturnaprofitfor
itsshareholdersnotprovidequalityhealthinsurance.

TheCongressionalBudgetOfficespeculatesthatthePPACAwillonlyslightlycontrol
astronomicalcostsandstillleaveover30millionuninsuredAmericansbytheyear2016.
Whatiftherewasahealthcaremodelthatcouldsaveasmuchas$592billionannually
($476billiononadministrativecostsand$116billiononpharmaceuticalcosts)while
coveringalluninsuredAmericans?AsinglepayerMedicareforAllsystemwilldojustthat:
Youcanhaveuniversalcoverageandgoodqualityhealthcarewhilestillmanagingto
controlcostsbutyouneedsinglepayertodoit,saysworldrenownedHarvardhealth
economistWilliamHsiao.

In1994,Dr.Hsiaoledataskforceresponsibleforengineeringaremarkableoverhaulofa
failinghealthcaresysteminTaiwan.Basedonpeerreviewedevidencefromhealthcare
modelsaroundtheworld,Dr.Hsiaochosetoadoptasystemthatwouldcreateapublicly
fundedcentralizedinsuranceprogramthateverycitizenpaysinto.SimilartoCanadas
modelwhichmostsinglepayeradvocatesincluding59%ofUSphysicianssupport,
healthcareproviderswouldremainprimarilyprivatelyruntheywillsimplybepaidbyone
entity.PoliticianTommyDouglas,votedtheGreatestCanadianever,pavedthewayfor
CanadatoadoptasinglepayerMedicareforAllsysteminthe1960sduetothe
remarkablesuccessoftheprograminhisprovince,Saskatchewan.Similareffortsby
SenatorBernieSandersareunderwayinVermontwherethestateisimplementinga
singlepayerImprovedMedicareforAllsystem.Singlepayerwillgetforprofitinsurance
companiesoutofourhealthcareandreducecosts,improvequality,andexpandaccessfor
allAmericans.Wererootingforyou,Vermont.

AnandSaha,CofounderandPresidentoftheQuillenChapterofPhysiciansforaNational
HealthProgram