Medical Michegas
By the time you read this, the special legislative session on healthcare will, or will not, have passed some stopgap measure on healthcare involving, (1) private insurance, probably compulsory, (2) taxpayer subsidies to private insurers in the form of premium assistance to low-income people, (3) a minimal employer contribution, (4) thousands of dollars in deductibles before insurance kicks in, and (5) probably no limits on premium costs.
Advocates for incremental reform will probably support this bill, while saying “some day we need single-payer.” Meanwhile, the national AFL-CIO campaign for universal healthcare will be patterned on the same lines.
We demand healthcare for health, not for profit!
Watch our video "Privatize Medicare? No Way! Equal, Comprehensive, Low-Cost Healthcare for All!"
Read "We have seen the enemy ... and surrendered," Barbara Ehrenreich's essay on the failure of Republicans and Democrats alike to confront the health insurance industry.
Read how the number of insured in the US has been vastly UNDERCOUNTED. It is now estimated that 89.6 million in the US were uninsured for all or some period between 2006-2007. Two thirds of these were uninsured for 6 months, half were uninsured for 9 months.
Read "Schwarzenegger's plan is an insurance industry give-away," using state money to (barely) help the poor buy insurance that doesn't pay out until the patient has paid $5,000 (single person) or $10,000 (a family) in medical bills.
Read "Is ClintonCare the same as SchwarzenCare?" an analysis of Hillary Clinton's health plan.
Browse Gray Panthers Newsletter articles on Single Payer healthcare.