Universal Healthcare
I’m not enough of a policy wonk to know which way we should go towards universal healthcare, but I do know that’s the direction we should be headed. Ron Wyden, as Susie notes, has put together a plan. So I’m not going to judge it, but just note that it is about time [...]
I’m not enough of a policy wonk to know which way we should go towards universal healthcare, but I do know that’s the direction we should be headed. Ron Wyden, as Susie notes, has put together a plan. So I’m not going to judge it, but just note that it is about time someone worked to solve this problem. Healthcare in this country is too expensive and not serving enough people. There’s a bottom line for you.
Republicans have made the healthcare problem worse with their inaction. What do you expect when they’ve been led by Bill Frist for a while, a man who comes from a family that owns for-profit hospitals? The Republicans demonized Hillary on the issue over a dozen years ago. Well, Hillary is about to be the leader in the ‘08 Presidentials, and the healthcare issue hasn’t gone away either.
On a slightly related topic, today’s WaPo poll notes that the American people trust the Democratic Congress more than Bush on a number of issues. Why is this related? Healthcare — the numbers trusting Democrats to handle the issue over Republicans is startling:
Asked whether they trusted Bush or Democrats in Congress “to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation faces,” 57 percent of the respondents said congressional Democrats and 31 percent said Bush. When the question was broken down to specific problems, such as Iraq, the economy, immigration and the “war on terrorism,” Democrats held clear majorities over Bush. Their lead was overwhelming in the area of health care: 64 percent to Bush’s 26 percent.
Perhaps Wyden’s timing is very good.
Universal healthcare that is affordable & non-employment based is the Holy Grail of Progressive change. If properly implemented it would assure a Progressive majority for 20 years or more. Because of this & the numerous vested interests in the current healthcare regime this will be a bitter battle.
The country needs this & is ready to support it if the Democrats exercise real leadership on this issue. This should be the domestic center piece of the Democratic 08 campaign. Win this one & the center of political gravity in this country shifts to the left & likely stays there for a generation.
The US pays about 14% of GDP for healthcare, but fails to insure tens of millions and underinsures many tens of millions more.
Almost every other industrialized nation pays 8-10% for healthcare, covers everyone, and no one ends up bankrupt because of inadequate insurance.
Health indicators, like life span, are better in other industrialized countries than in the US. In the US, lack of medical insurance literally, not figuratively, kills people.
Lots of people.
4% of GDP, the difference between how expensive our system is versus a typical industrialized nation, is about 600 Billion dollars.
Having taken this short course, now you are a policy wonk and can decide whether we need universal health care coverage.
Hey! Thanks for the post…
I’m helping Senator Wyden with the netroots organizing effort — so here’s a plug: Everybody, c’mon down to Stand Tall for America and join the campaign. (The site is pretty barebones, but we’re moving fast…)
How many Americans will it take to make universal, portable, affordable health care a reality?
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