ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
I have a confession that will surprise virtually no one who knows me or reads this publication. I am a strong supporter of a single-payer, Medicare for All health care system for the United States. I have heard and seen enough.
I am not so naïve to think such a change in policy faces a daunting struggle in the political arena. Just follow the money.
Some of the most powerful and wealthy special interests are doing and will continue to do all they can to make sure it won’t happen. I’m talking about the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and even hospitals that are for-profit.
They stand to lose a lot of money that’s been wasted at the expense of middle-class, working-class and the poor for many decades.
As most of you know, the United States is the only industrialized nation on the planet that doesn’t have a national health care program. Perhaps some of you don’t know that the U.S. system is by far the most expensive. And we don’t necessarily have the best outcomes.
I have no issue with the quality of health care offered by American physicians, nurses and technicians. They have been doing a splendid job, and the proof has been shown recently during our Coronavirus crisis.
I do have major issues with insurance companies deciding for us working stiffs what is necessary for our treatment. I have major issues with insurance companies charging us outrageous prices for procedures many us need, but can’t afford. I have major issues with these bureaucratic bean counters requiring so much red tape and paperwork. Don’t get me started on drug prices, as compared to the rest of the world.
I have grown horribly weary of writing and reading stories about common everyday folks going bankrupt because they got sick or died because they couldn’t afford to get what they needed.
As the great attorney Clarence Darrow once quipped, “Justice (health care) is like sugar or salt. The amount you get is regulated by the amount of money you have.”
I can’t help but remember the story of Jayde VanZalen, a Hopkins High School graduate who died at age 21 while awaiting a liver transplant. The community and school put on fund-raisers for her, but it just wasn’t enough. Meanwhile, those who were fortunate to be rich and famous, like New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle, got their liver transplants that enabled them more time on this earth. Yes, it’s not fair.
I hear tell from some friends and adversaries that countries like Canada have longer waiting lists. That’s true for elective procedures. I hear far more sad stories like VanZalen’s in the U.S. than in single-payer countries such as Canada.
This current crisis with COVID-19 has provided us more than a glimpse of what a troubled for-profit health care system we have. American now has more than a million Coronavirus cases and more than 58,000 deaths. We are, by far, No. 1 worldwide in both categories.
While some, like corporate Democrats, like to blame Donald Trump for our embarrassingly lousy response to a deadly virus, I submit his incompetence is only part of the problem.
With a for-profit system in place, too many poor, working-class and middle-class Americans have not sought prompt treatment, spreading the virus further and overwhelming hospitals and health care workers. And not having proper equipment such as masks, gowns, ventilators and hospital beds is the failure of a for-profit health care system that makes money, rather than safety, the top priority.
The disastrous result has been our alarming inability to cope with a pandemic.
I have been asked by many lately what it would take for me to get behind Joe Biden for president enthusiastically. It’s very simple — support Medicare for All.
But Biden flatly stated that if Congress passed a Medicare for All bill and it arrived on his desk, he would veto it. I need more than “He’s not Trump” to support him, not that it makes a heck of a lot of difference.
“That and 73 cents will get me a senior’s cup of coffee at McDonald’s.” — Me.
“This current crisis with COVID-19 has provided us more than a glimpse of what a troubled for-profit health care system we have. American now has more than a million Coronavirus cases and more than 58,000 deaths. We are, by far, No. 1 worldwide in both categories.”
I further understand your unbalanced, biased opinions. You fail to mention we are testing more than all the other Countries put together, of course we will lead the World in “both categories”. I guess you can make this stuff up, to fit your narrative………
Cheers!!
This claim that we (the US) are testing more than all the other countries put together is a manipulated statistic. Test all you like. Without the means to process the tests they are useless, as is the case right now. Politicians like Trump and my governor Doug Ducey do not want tests processed because they show a dismal picture of how widespread COVID-19 really is.
Because CNN and Snopes told you so………..Nice try……..
Cheers!!
Mr. Wilkens,
I don’t need to rely on CNN or Snopes. My local news tells me exactly how many people are being tested vs. those tests that are being processed. And the answer is that precious few are being tested, and fewer are being processed. And response times for results indicate that any tests being done are doubtful because any test so far is merely a snapshot of conditions at the time of the test.
Cheers back at ya!
If you are accusing my editorials of being biased, I plead guilty. Editorials are biased by definition.
Mr Young,
You choose to leave out the facts to fit your narrative. No accusations here just pointing out a fact. That’s a fact!
Cheers!!
“Medicare for all” is a bait and switch term. In our Medicare system you and I pay into it with co-pays and part B insurance. Are you advocating for that system for all, or single payer? Large difference between the two. If you want single payer, please just say single payer and stop the sham game of Medicare for all. If it is a good system the American people will adopt it, we are not as stupid as the American left maintains we are. I am not against single payer but let’s be honest in naming it.
It is a shame that our country fails to provide its citizenry with healthcare, like every other industrialized nation. Neither candidate promotes Medicare for all. Biden does want to strengthen The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which provides for coverage of preexisting conditions, and coverage for dependent sons and daughters up to age 26. Trump – and John James – want to do away with this.
When a sitting president is up for re-election, the contest is primarily a referendum on the sitting president. Trump was unpopular before his disastrous failures with COVID-19. It will be easy for me to cast my vote.
Want to see how government run healthcare would work? Look no further than the VA. I mean, isn’t that the best thing ever!?
“Trump was unpopular before his disastrous failures with COVID-19.”
Mr. Basura, are you daft, sir? Just think if the Democrats would be leading the country with Hildabeast! Open borders for all, flights to and from China, more government handouts to illegals, etc. They would be bound by their misguided policies and political correctness. President Trump ceased flights to and from China. Thank God, someone in government doesn’t have their head up their ass. Never Trumpers don’t understand why many love Trump. But you know why – he isn’t a swamp dweller and beholden to anyone. He doesn’t need the job, but he is doing more in less time than any other president in my lifetime.
You are responsible for your own healthcare. The reason medical care is so expensive is because government is involved, just like education. When will Democrats and swamp dwellers understand the problems cannot be solved by government, they just make it worse?
DOTM,
I would like you to list for me the exact items that the president has accomplished for you in the past three and a half years. Specifics, please. No generalizations like “the economy.” Is it a great, or even good, economy, where one missed pay check for a huge number of Americans is disastrous? Or is that economy only good for the wealthy few? I dare you to prepare a list for us to back up you undying love for Mr. T.
It’s president Trump, not Mr. Trump. He’s our president, all of us.
DOTM,.
Yes, you are correct. He is our president. All of ours. So if it makes you happy I’ll refer to him as that, even though he is a president in name only. He’s surely not one in deed.
Are you working on that list of things President Trump has done for you in three and a half years of farting around?
Tread – your ad hominem attack is offensive. Trump has failed thus far, as should be easy to see for those paying attention. There was a crucial time when Trump failed to take the advice of the doctors and other scientists, including those on his own team. He was warned repeatedly about the virus, and did nothing. Do you really think he’s doing well?
He and Pence refusing to follow their own direction regarding masking is an embarrassment (and Pence was so disrespectful to the highly regarded Mayo Clinic. No Tread, I’m not daft.
Mr Young
I will agree with one of your statements…in essence you eluded that money talks.
At one time I attained that position where because I could afford it …no medical issues were beyond getting corrected. Than things went wrong financially.
Since our health system is a business that can only operate on a profit. Which is very evident now with healthcare workers getting laid off…since if it can’t be attributed to the virus it currently is deemed non essential.
Yes, it’s undeniable, no money, good luck. As far fetched as my opinion is….I truly believe the only reason the healthcare system isn’t operating as normal is because the people would come to realize nothing will stop healthcare from making profit. People are excepting their reason is the virus. If a healthcare system is working for it’s citizens it would be over prepared for anything. But this is not possible when profit is put before inventory.
I’ve come to except the healthcare system is what it is ……money talks
What a good conversation by all. The one thing Trump can say he done partially right is stopping air traffic from China. Can’t say testing has gone well. Medicare for all may be better than what we have now but I can’t say that for certain. I don’t understand why we have more cases than any where else in the world and about 25% of world deaths if we done this correctly. Covid 19 is certainly not like the flu or common cold as was stated by many early on. Good luck to all and stay healthy.
Bob, you are correct. Covid19 is not like the flu and its complications causing death. So far, the flu last year killed more!
But I don’t remember shutting down the economy and ceasing our liberty and freedoms because of it.
There was no testing for Covid19 until recently. China never warned the world and the WHO didn’t know a thing for weeks. Dr. Fauci was telling people in late Jan., early Feb. if people were healthy to take the cruise they had scheduled! Nobody knew anything for sure and still don’t. This “pandemic”, while affecting and killing some at risk people, isn’t as bad as predicted. The projections were wildly inaccurate for infections and deaths. Is it bad, yes, any deaths attributed to something like this is bad, but we had this last year with the flu, according the CDC.
The president has not had any supportive media coverage since before he took office. He has done many positive things for citizens; more jobs, higher pay, more minorities and women working than ever, stopping flights to and from China, getting countries where there are service people defending them to pay their fair share, better trade deals with Canada, Mexico, China. Overall confidence in the economy and armed services to do the right thing for support. If you can’t thank the president and his administration for all the positives, please respect the office. I didn’t like President Obama, but he was our president. President Trump is our president and the office deserves respect.
DTOM,
Very well wrote! One word of caution, careful quoting numbers from the CDC. If the numbers didn’t come from “local liberal news sources” or cnn, snopes , etc. they must be manipulated some way. One more thought regarding the best economy we were experiencing in history (before the Chinese virus) was built on the back of former President Barack Hussein Obama, you cannot make this stuff up. Thanks again for reminding us of the facts and being fair and balanced!
Carry on.
Cheers!!