Single-payer, universal insurance is what is needed
With the probability of mandated insurance coverage under current bills, how in any conscience can our elected representatives force Americans to further enrich the piratical insurance companies and their executives who have enjoyed huge profits while Americans suffer without healthcare?
The current proposals are ridiculous in offering a useless "public option" that is available to almost no one, while many of those who are ineligible for the "public option" have useless employer insurance that pays almost nothing of their expenses. On top of that, waiting 3 years to even enact the rules that will prevent insurers' abuses is criminal.
We must have single payer, universal healthcare for all and all of these sellouts and mistakes in the current bills will be swept away,
Francie K. Goodridge Ann Arbor
Comments
UPSman
Sun, Dec 6, 2009 : 7:57 p.m.
My mother was born in Canada yet became an American citizen before my birth. She has two sisters that stayed in Canada and from those 2 sisters I've been lucky to have 9 all girl cousins that we would playfully "beat up" as we were the boy cousins from Detroit and would charge out of the car as soon as we pulled up to - again playfully - throw them to the ground. Of those girl cousins one had open heart surgery soon after birth and she lived until her 40's and was able to have two wonderful children before liver cancer took her life. All through her life she had medical challenges she had to overcome. Some of the other cousins have dealt with breast cancer as well an Uncle that had a myriad of medical problems until he succumbed but a few years ago. Never once did any of these Canadians think they were getting sub-par health care nor did any of them complain of waiting in line for any health care services. With all the bad talk of the Canadian health care my Mother asked her sisters about the care they were provided. Not one of my Aunts nor their daughters had a single bad example to share with us Americans. On the other side of it my Canadian born Mother who became an American citizen - worked her entire life for GM in their administrative department with no Union contract. I never recall a day when she called in sick and she would be there each and every day regardless of the weather. Yet now that she is retired every year she gets a letter in the mail about her diminished benefits. At times having to find an entirely new doctor all the while her co-pays are increased on both her medical care and medications prescribed. This at a time when her health care is needed more than ever. So when I hear of the stories - I call them "scare tactics" where one particular political party is very astute on their use - I take them with a grain of salt! Sure there are those that fall through the cracks but the cracks aren't like the potholes we have here in this country where only those with the money are able to get the best of the care needed. I became disabled from a trucking company over a decade ago and if it wasn't for my service in the military I would now be "uninsurable" from the disease I'm suffering from. Yet through my whole life I was about as productive as an individual I could be until disease stopped me cold in my tracks. I am very thankful to the VA facility here in Ann Arbor as I feel I'm getting the best care I possibly could anywhere. This wasn't the case earlier in the year when I was a resident of Texas as the VA there was not close to the wonderful medical community I have found here in Ann Arbor.
David Briegel
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 7:19 a.m.
Rork and Marilyn are correct. Canadians and most other nations pay less for drugs because the contracts are bid in bulk. This is expressly forbidden by Billy Tauzin in the Republican giveaway to Big Pharma. That is just one way he is repaying his two million per year bribe!
Thick Candy Shell
Wed, Dec 2, 2009 : 8:37 p.m.
Funny enough, those Canadians have already started by making "illegal" medical clinics to deal with what the Gov. calls optional procedures, like a new hip or a new knee or back surgery. Yes there meds are cheaper cause the Gov. is paying the rest. And everyone in this country is getting emergency care. It is already a law!
David Briegel
Wed, Dec 2, 2009 : 3:54 p.m.
They come to America at twice the price. Why do Americans go to Canada to buy drugs? Can you identify Billy Tauzin? Hint: he receives a two million dollar per year bribe from big Pharma. Not just two million, two million every year after year after year. America, where bribery is legal! If there is an accident or an emergency, they don't get hassled for an insurance card or approval by the only person betweent "you and your doctor", the insurance claim denier! If Canadians were so unhappy, they would have changed it by now. You are just hearing anecdotes from unhappy people. You won't hear of anyone who is dead because of lack of health care. That's an American "outcome". Around 45,000 per year. Every year. 38th in life expectancy and 34th in infant mortality in the "best health care system in the world"! Right to life, those dead babies were wanted!
Thick Candy Shell
Wed, Dec 2, 2009 : 11:03 a.m.
Most of the Canadians I know do not "Love" their health care. They don't "Love" the 3 month wait for an appointment. They don't "Love" the high taxes they pay to support it. They don't "Love" the fact that many procedures could take 2 to 3 years to get done. THEY DO "LOVE" being able to come to the U.S. and get these procedures done in a matter of weeks.
Marylin Kraker
Wed, Dec 2, 2009 : 7:51 a.m.
In fact, according the Congressional Budget Office, even the badly-damaged current public option proposal would save money. Single-payer would be MUCH more efficient and would save us all a LOT of money! Canadians LOVE their universal health care -- why do you think they named the author of it the best Canadian in history?
John Galt
Tue, Dec 1, 2009 : 12:50 p.m.
What we need a much smaller government that stops bleeding the hard working and productive to buy votes of the deadbeats.
Rork Kuick
Tue, Dec 1, 2009 : 10:48 a.m.
I thought the experience of European countries spending much less than we do implied that public insurance could save money.