osodecanela | Universal Health Care......

March being 'question month'

grizzlyzone asks: "OK, you're in the medical profession. What's your take on universal healthcare?"

I think its high time we started treating access to healthcare as a human right and not a priviledge! We pay more per capita for healthcare in this country and yet something to the tune of 46+ million Americans remained uncovered in 2005, according the the federal census. That doesn't include all the folks on Medicaid & Medicare - they have coverage, albeit with Medicaid, most people's access to care remains limited, given how many medical providers won't accept those patients. Germany, France and even Italy all manage to cover their citizens with superb care, and they do so without breaking their budgets. We can't we do the same?

Some thoughts here:

1- I think we desperately need a single payer system. The for profit insurers start by taking something like 30 cents on the dollar right off the top, to pay share holders and to administer the care they provide. Why is it Medicare is able to do that for 6 cents on the dollar?

2- I'm a small business owner too. Why am I paying into 4 separate insurance systems? I provide health coverage for my office staff, AND I pay into both the worker's comp system AND into to the medical liability portions on my automobile insurance and my office liability coverage (not malpractice, but the insurance to cover injuries like a slip and fall in the office). Is this not a waste of resources?

3- Insurance companies don't have a major vested interest in providing preventative care, unless its mandated. These days, employers wind up changing their insurance plans nearly annually because of rising costs. Your insurer this year knows chances are you won't be their 'problem' within the next few years. Why pay for preventative services, so another company reaps the benefit of your better health down the line? Sounds Machiavellian I know, but I cannot tell you how many people with hypertension, lousy cholesterol or who're pre-diabetics I see and whose insurer will not cover a nutrition consult. I have to do that counseling/teaching in my 15 minute visit. (Like I have that time, given what I get paid.)

4- We seem to have made the decision in this country that health insurance is a work benefit. If so, why then are any employers allowed to opt out and not provide coverage? Walmart, the fast food and restaurant industries, and the agricultural industry provide low paid work and no health coverage, thereby taxing our current system of care. Is a failing healthcare system the real cost for that 99 cent hamburger or 4 lbs of oranges for $1.99?

So how to pay for all this? Like I said, a single payer system that no one can opt out of, a sort of Medicare 4 All is what I think is warranted. Every employer will need to pay in, as well as every self employed person. People who're are unable to afford the full cost of coverage, such as people who're now on medicaid will have those systems folded in. The industries that cause increased needs for health care, such as the tobacco industry (from farmers to manufaturers) and the fast food industry need to be taxed to pay for those services. An additional $5 tax per pack of cigarettes that went directly to a single payer system not only will help fund care, but also discourage smoking. While we're at it, how about 50 cents on every hamburger McDondald's, et al sells? How about taxing every product thast uses high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil? AND while we're at it, how about making gym memberships, non-motorized sports equipment, and running shoes tax deductible?

So that's my two cents, not that the powers that be, are listening to me. Unfortunately, as long as there are powerful lobbies in this country that are benefitting from the system as it is, we're not likley to see this kind of change. Just look at what our wonderful congress did with the Medicare Drug coverage benefit. There now is a very confusing plethora of Medicare part D plans confusing most Medicare recipients I know, plus the law was written preventing any collective bargaining with the drug industry for reduced drug prices. Insanity. Pure insanity.