What’s Up, Doc?
In an amazing turn-around, medical doctors in the United States now favor single-payer.
A majority of doctors questioned nationwide now support a single-payer health care system – an almost exact reversal of their stance nine years ago.
The stark turnaround took many aback on Monday as doctors have often been among the most outspoken critics of single-payer health care, in which the government, rather than private insurers, cover health-care costs.
“I expected it would go the other way. We’ve always heard the opposite,” admitted Phillip Miller, vice president of communications for Merritt Hawkins, one of the nation’s leading physician search firms that often surveys doctors on their practices and opinions about the health-care climate.
Now, Democrats! Dammit, NOW! Now is the time to propose single payer. The Republicans don’t have a plan. They aren’t even speaking to each other.
Once people understand that their tax increase will be less than their current insurance payments, they will support it.
Reclaim America, Democrats. Do this one thing.
My… it’s been so quiet lately. Are there Dems in Congress?
1I would love for single payer to happen. But, in the US, I don’t think it ever will. Because abortion.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2017/08/14/texas_is_poised_to_ban_all_insurance_coverage_for_abortions_forcing_women.html
The nonsense Texas starts always spreads to other red states. Sorry, JJ, but that’s the way this Yankee sees it. 🙁
2What makes you think the bigoted aholes in the Demoncrats want it any more than the rePUKEians? After all most ‘mericans are scared spitless of socialism and don’t like women & abortions much more then the rePUKEians either!!!
3Malarkey, I don’t think Texas is the first on that. Ten other states restrict abortion coverage in insurance plans, though the article doesn’t say if that includes cases of rape and incest.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/insurance-restrictions-for-abortion-head-to-texas-governor/2017/08/13/8ad869ce-8096-11e7-9e7a-20fa8d7a0db6_story.html
4Thanks, @Rhea!
I’d only heard of Texas trying this one on for size and figured my home state (VA and I don’t really… ) would follow soon.
The Good ‘Ol Boys in Richmond would rather blather about “Heritage” and what goes on in my VeeJayJay than about fixing the roads near me.
It’s been a rough weekend!
5I’ve been advocating for a Canadian style health care system since the national Canadian health plan was first implemented, around 1968.
Most of those ‘Muricans I have presented it to Just.Don’t.Will Not.Cannot.Get.It.
The power of propaganda at work.
I remember when the JBirchSoc and AMA screeching about “socialized medicine” began too, about that same time.
It has worked with ‘Muricans ever since, doesn’t say much for our Democratic ‘leadership’ since then either (even though JFK, LBJ, etc., brought us Medicare/Medicaid/etc., even Hillary tried in 1993, and the hobbled Obamacare), not able to change public opinion and get it implemented all these years.
A total single-payer health care system, under governmental auspices, would easily cost 30-40% LESS than our current ‘system’. And such huge savings would make universal health-care coverage available to every US citizen using just a portion of those cost reductions.
Such a Medicare-like system for all would eliminate the huge built-in, completely superfluous costs of our present bloated scheme like the enormous profits, CEO salaries, obscene profits (as for Pharma), endless record-keeping and ‘papershuffling’, useless PR and advertising costs, and most of the frustrating adversarial bullcrap.
Just one big risk pool, underwritten by the Feds, paid for by a suitably assessed and periodically adjusted tax structure (with constant oversight, regulation, auditing, and fraud elimination). It would save Trillions on net, and deliver better care to all.
However, in all likelihood, fifty years from now, we’ll still be getting shafted in this area. Any electorate dumb enough to elect tRump, GWB and Raygun isn’t smart enough to ever see the light, and the feckless Democrats are unlikely to ever dedumb them.
6@Sandridge, I agree.
BUT Medicare doesn’t need to cover health issues of reproductive age folks. That’s a WHOLE ‘nother ball of rubberbands!
Abortion and birth control coverage will NEVER fly in the U.S. and A. Alas, it’s just not going to happen.
There’s no cure stoopid, I agree, but then there’s unwillingness on the part of the male population (mostly) to cover things that go both wrong and right with the female (mostly) population.
Yeah, I don’t like the idea of my tax dollars going for Viagra, but I’ll chip in for some geezer’s boner (if his partner wants it, too! 😉 if it means I can get coverage for my pap smear. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.
I’m not holding my breath.
7Now that there has been a monumental switch in the AMA’s stand on single payer, please recognize that they are one hell of a lobbying organization. It won’t be able to steam roller them on anything. Plus whoever doesn’t want to have medical care via single payer doesn’t have to get it that way. People in general will not be forced to buy into it. I know people in Canada in their healthcare system who also carried some kind of private plan.
8In my view, the medical profession’s cries of “socialized medicine” beginning 40+ years ago led to the insurance industry effectively hijacking the U. S. medical system, and the insurance business is now firmly in control of medical care for all of us. Insurers do not act in the best interest of the insured and make outrageous profits when all they should be doing is applying risk analysis to established statistics and charging reasonable administrative fees for doing do. (Sounds like an ideal governmental function doesn’t it?)
I dislike the unbending partisanship of this and many other sites, but there are some things on which almost everybody who isn’t being paid by the insurance lobby should agree.
9I don’t like my taxes paying for war, private prisons etc but it isn’t optional. But for people who object to tax dollars helping women, here and abroad, getting reproductive care, OMG we must protect their delicate consciences. When Quakers withold a portion of their taxes the IRS goes into their bank accounts and grabs it. Our consciences don’t matter.
10Hey, @Old Quaker!
Will you marry me?
@>–^–
11The med school I used to teach at favored it nearly a decade ago. The docs said it was the best way they could care for every patient, emphasis on every.
12Some kind of government already pays for 60% of the healthcare cost in this country. Medicare, medicaid, military, VA., local governments, yada yada. Couple in the healthcare cost to businesses and the leap to single payer is not that big.
But, i have noticed Republicans understand things like sex, alcohol, bribes. High finance of healthcare? not so much.
The Ds just need to come up with 3 syllable slogans to explain it all.
13Well I for one would certainly like to see my tax dollars used for single payer than given to the 1% in the form of a tax break they don’t need or deserve.
14Talk to any doctor who has fought with an insurance company and you will wonder why the profession isn’t unanimous for single payer
15Yes! Let’s rejoin the civilized world.
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