tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187888375073054778.post1700904356630571149..comments2023-11-02T08:10:55.665-04:00Comments on Quick TAKES & tasty tidbits: Dr. Marcia Angell: Single Payer is the ONLY OptionKate Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01935923770699244573noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187888375073054778.post-24642557441513704762009-06-08T17:26:10.732-04:002009-06-08T17:26:10.732-04:00Dr. Angell needs to emphasize a couple of importan...Dr. Angell needs to emphasize a couple of important points:<br /><br />1) The difference between <br />"socialized" and "single payer". Most people confuse the two. Socialized: nationalized, government-run, funded by taxes. Single-payer: private providers, public insurance, funded by premiums bought from the government. Complete choice of doctors or hospitals. Insurance is portable. No deductible, no pre-existing condition exclusions.<br /><br />Insurance companies are capitalizing on this confusion to scare people with the idea of "government-run" health care. But the truth is that the private insurance companies are doing that right now and intervening to deny us care.<br /><br />2)A government or public insurance plan does not have the costs of CEO salaries, shareholder dividends, advertising, lobbying and campaign contributions. Currently, private insurance companies are taking our insurance premium money and spending it on these things while denying us care.<br /><br />3)Because many people are denied care or have huge deductibles in this country, they do not get the preventive care they need. The resulting catastrophic illnesses drive the costs up.<br /><br />In a single payer system, everyone has access to care, so they are healthier and that drives costs down.<br /><br />4) A single payer system does not preclude private insurance. People can still purchase supplementary private insurance to cover costs not included in the government plan.Lindy Tillementnoreply@blogger.com