The scandalous statistics have been widely publicized for many years: U.S.: first in the world in per capita healthcare expenditure, 36th in quality of healthcare ( from 2000, last year the World Health Organization published figures) well down the list from many countries, such as Cuba, we would consider Third World.
We also know that all other developed, countries, countries such as Canada and EU we compare ourselves with have some version of a single-payer system,(i.e., universal on demand coverage paid for by taxes), that such a system lowers cost per capita exponentially, and that satsifaction is much higher among users than ours,
So what’s our problem? Why the endless heel dragging on what would have to be called at this point the no-brainer of single payer?
Even now, healthcare hope, such a big item in the recent election, looks once again to be bogging down, losing out to the insurance industry and the AMA, being turned into political football in congress.
Why is this? Is it just politics as usual: people being victimized by those they elected?
I’m beginning to think that’s not the whole story. There would be more outrage, more protests in the streets, over this national disgrace . Politicians would be clearer that re-election absolutely depends on action on real healtcare reform.
I’m wondering if an ally of the insurance industry and of resistance in Washington is a deepseated belief on the part of many that profit motive and greed are built into human nature. Remove the profit motive from healthcare and people would just not bother. Or would perform poorly. That we are only inspired by the hope of profit.
That’s what the insurance industry wants us to believe. “A government -run plan would …turn back the clock on efforts to improve the quality and safety of patient care,”asserts a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans. This flies in the face of everything we know about government operated programs in other countries. Why would the industry think anyone would listen to such drivel? Is it possible we too, despite the evidence to the contrary, believe that? that having lived so long in a for-profit system we dont believe there’s any other reason for doing anything?
Most of us know differently from experience. We do things all the time for family, friends and neighbors for other reasons. Our hearts are touched every day by TV programs about exemplary, unselfish human behavior. Moreover, we know that in single- payer systems in Canada, England, France, Cuba, etc from which the profit motive has been eliminated, healthcare workers go on doing their work, presumably finding other rewards.
Is American human nature different from European human nature?
There is in fact a lot of evidence that profit-orientation can make things worse. Automobiles: planned obsolescence, cars “unsafe at any speed.” SUVs, a disaster in just about every way except profitability.
In healthcare: so-called diseases created by Big Pharma advertising in order to sell pills. An insurance industry feared (rather than looked to for comfort) by most of its customers for its reputation of doing everything they can to protect profits from claims and such prudent practices as denying coverage for the most needy with pre-existing conditions clauses.
Of all parts of our life, healthcare would seem to be the one in which it is most important to eliminate the profit and greed factor. People who are not involved heart and soul with the opportunity to do this inherently meaningful work for fellow humans, should not be permitted to practice healthcare.
Bottomline: healthcare is too important t be trusted to a bottomline.
I imagine those working for Cape Care Coalition to make community-owned health care for Cape Cod a reality would have welcomed a national single-payer system. It would have saved them a lot of work. But from the way things are going in Washington, it looks like we may need Cape Care afterall, so that we at least can have the logical, humane universal healthcare we all deserve and to serve as model for the rest of our country. Cape Care Coalition can use your help. (www.Capecare.info. )
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