Universal Health Coverage
The Birmingham Business Journal has a poll at its site that is supposed to measure support for universal health coverage. It doesn’t explicitly include single-payer coverage as an option but does have the more nebulous “I don’t like the idea of socialized medicine, but everyone should have access to affordable health insurance”. It also has an “Other” category that actually permits respondents to elaborate. Right now, “Health care should be government-run and provided to anyone who needs care” is in the lead. Check it out.
H/T, Blues reader Ed
August 21st, 2007 at 5:32 pm
On use of the term “socialized medicine” :
Most of us are for universal healthcare.The Medicare program for seniors is highly successful and popular in the U.S. and has a wonderful track record for over 40 years. Ask your grandmother, grandfather, perhaps your father or mother what they think of it.
It is government run, and extremely popular with seniors and a godsend to all of them including myself.
It is single payer, you know. NO INSURANCE COMPANIES!!!
Would you object to “Medicare for all” ???? Would you then label it “socialized medicine” and what we do not want for a universal health plan for the whole country????
The doctors and hospitals are private, are not owned by the government and for the most part determine what the patient needs in the way of tests and therapy; and for administering to the sickest of our population, get excellent outcomes and give the highest quality healthcare. Better by far than the private insurors give to the rest of us.
Be wary of the label “socialized medicine” and who the main culpret is using this fear tactic: the HEALTH INSURORS of course. In a single payer system like MEDICARE, THEY WOULD BE ELIMINATED !! What would you expect them to do or say–welcome MEDICARE for all? Of course not.
They are the chief opponents of a high quality, affordable universal health plan for all Americans like Medicare and have devoted many millions of dollars and lobbying of congress to block this for many years. Their latest effort is now beginning–watch for it and their negative propaganda advirtising campaign.
August 21st, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Robert, I should have made it clear that I think the term “socialized medicine” is a scare tactic used by those who benefit greatly from the status quo and want to maintain it. It was in my mind when I was typing but clearly didn’t come through in the post.
I think single-payer coverage available and affordable to all is a super idea. It reduces overhead for doctors and hospitals and still givers health care consumers flexibility in choice of providers.
August 21st, 2007 at 8:56 pm
It is amazing to me how people can rail against universal health care as being against our dearly-held American values and completely ignore the existence of Medicare–even people currently benefiting from Medicare. Perhaps they are assuming that “we paid for that back while we were working—money was deducted from every single paycheck. All we’re asking for is what we’re already entitled to.” Uh-huh.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:08 am
Medicare works pretty well, but those who have it know they didn’t just pay for it while they were working. Most people also pay a monthly fee that is deducted from their Social Security payment and many of them also pay a private insurer to cover the parts that Medicare doesn’t and now also pay a private insurer for Medicare prescription drug coverage. My point is that the private insurers have been working hard to slip into that lucrative Medicare market through any nook and cranny.
Regarding the poll, when I voted there was a comment box, so in addition to my vote I told them “Universal coverage, single payer.” Hope somebody gets the message.