| Almost twenty percent of all Americans lack any | | | | that. We pay for the services that others |
| form of healthcare insurance. Many | | | | receive through taxes. However, the money |
| more are underinsured. Consequently, a great | | | | is squandered in fat salaries, perks, lawsuits, |
| number of Americans receive little or | | | | insurance and just plain fraud. Studies |
| no healthcare at all. Many, but not all, of these | | | | suggest that only twenty percent of all modern |
| people are women and children. | | | | allopathic (western medicine) |
| Some are destitute, but most are not. Quite a | | | | treatments have been proven clinically efficacious |
| few of these uninsured are actually | | | | in scientific trials. That means |
| working families who cannot afford coverage, | | | | that eighty percent of today's medical |
| yet, earn too much to be eligible for | | | | proceedures are unwarranted, unnecessary |
| Medi-Cal, the state's healthcare provider.In a | | | | and ineffective. The elimination of healthcare |
| great society, such as ours, it is a pity that we | | | | insurers would realize an immediate |
| cannot provide what should be a | | | | savings because there would be no overhead or |
| basic human right, to all of our citizens, equally. | | | | profits to realize.Shareholders equity would not |
| The level or quality of healthcare | | | | determine your degree of healthcare. No insurers |
| should be an inalienable right of all people, not a | | | | would mean no claims forms, agents and their |
| privilege of the few. Money should | | | | commissions, fraud to perpetrate or |
| not be allowed to dictate that some should live in | | | | arbitrations. No insurers would mean fast, |
| good health while others suffer in | | | | efficient and effective healthcare for all. |
| humiliation and anger. The lack of universal | | | | The current form of healthcare insurance in this |
| healthcare is one of the greatest social | | | | country serves only to perpetuate |
| inequities of our society.A single payer healthcare | | | | its bloated existence.The limiting of liabilities is |
| system would go a long way toward leveling the | | | | another area of great potential savings. |
| playing | | | | Malpractice |
| field for all. A single payer system is one in which | | | | insurance for medical practitioners is spiraling ever |
| a single entity, such as Medi-Cal, | | | | upward. Claims for damages, |
| procures, provides and or pays for all healthcare | | | | albeit legitimate, are all too often excessive, in |
| needs. Providing uniform and | | | | pursuit of punitive effect. The |
| universal healthcare for all, regardless of race or | | | | punishment, however, flows to the consumer, |
| stature, can only improve our | | | | who pays for the fines with increased |
| entire civilization. The common good is served | | | | prices. The legal system becomes just a bloated, |
| best by serving all.However, profits dictate the | | | | insurance driven bureaucracy, that |
| rules in U.S. healthcare today. So long as | | | | feasts on the suffering of humanity. Such actions |
| healthcare | | | | are shameful, indeed.Nationalization of |
| thrives only as a function of profit, a single payer | | | | pharmaceutical companies would also contribute in |
| system will never come to pass. | | | | a positive |
| Insurance companies, agents, lawyers, and | | | | fashion. Medicine could return to the pursuit of |
| doctors, pharmaceutical companies, | | | | pure science instead of the |
| medical suppliers and even hospitals all compete | | | | headlong rush to market expensive "buzzword" |
| for money in a cutthroat fashion. | | | | drugs. Many existing therapies and |
| In concert, they consume in excess of one-third | | | | treatments exist only because they produce a |
| of the Gross Domestic Product, in | | | | sizable profit. Something is wrong |
| the U.S. Yet, every day, people are denied | | | | when more money is spent on the marketing of |
| adequate care because they can pay no | | | | nicotine patches than on the |
| more. This profiteering in the healthcare industry | | | | prevention of teen smoking.Cut the fat and get |
| must stop.The U.S. is the only major industrialized | | | | on with the show. I'm getting old in a hurry and |
| nation in the world that does not provide | | | | this situation |
| cradle to grave health care for its citizenry. We | | | | scares the hell out of me. Half of all the money |
| produce ground breaking technology | | | | that you will ever spend in your life |
| in the medical field, yet ignore the needs of our | | | | on medical care will be spent in the last three |
| indigent children.The triumvirate of Insurers, | | | | months of your life. That is a |
| Practitioners and Apothecaries must be reined in | | | | statistical fact. Wouldn't it be nice if we could |
| somehow. Who would pay for this single payer | | | | afford to pay for it? If other nations |
| system? Wouldn't we have to raise | | | | can provide universal healthcare for citizens, why |
| our contributions to make up for those who can't | | | | then, can't we? |
| pay? You and I already do just | | | | |