Single-payer healthcare is growingly increasingly popular in the United States, according to a Pew Research Center poll released Friday.
33 percent of poll respondents said they favor a single-payer system, in which the government covers medical expenses with tax money, over the current system based on private insurance companies.
That's an increase of five percentage points since January, and twelve points since single payer was polled in December 2015.
60 percent of Americans who were surveyed said the federal government is responsible for providing healthcare coverage to all Americans, compared to 39 percent who said it was not the government’s job.
The poll comes a day after Senate Republicans unveiled the first draft of their plan to repeal ObamaCare.
Like I have said before the Republicans may actually be inadvertently pushing this country toward single payer, and clearly the American people are ready for it.
Just the other day Rand Paul said, and I quote, "What I'd like to do is legalize inexpensive insurance, and you should be able to get insurance for $1 a day. I mean, you really should."
Well I have news for Mr. I Have a Squirrel Toupee, thirty dollar a month for insurance premiums would only be possible through a single payer system that every single American had signed onto.
And the best way to do that is through a government program like Medicaid or Medicare.
So essentially the Republicans want single payer health care as well, they are just too stupid to realize it.
When Winston Churchill unveiled Britain's National Health Service in 1944 he analogised delivery of health to fire-fighting services.
ReplyDeleteI am a bit all over the map as far as my politics. But I would mostly consider myself most closely aligned with libertarians for the sole reason of limiting government interference in the private lives of citizens (not looking for an argument about politics here).... However, there is certain reality when it comes to healthcare, and insurance, and hospitals, and group plans, and drug companies (etc etc etc) all with their hand at the money making till, with actual health care of individuals really being at the bottom of the healthcare industries main concerns. It is ridiculous. It is frightening. It is unsustainable. It is not fair. It is no way to go. I don't have a solution and it isn't going to happen overnight and there will be a lot of clawing and scratching and threats. But this country is long overdue for a complete overhaul of how we provide healthcare to its citizens, and those that have been living on the high hog of it are either going to have to accept it or get out.
ReplyDeleteEven being libertarian minded... I fully agree some form of socialized medicine is needed and necessary, cut out the insurance companies.
No matter what your political leanings I think we can all see that "for profit" healthcare can do nothing but bankrupt people.
DeleteThere are certain aspects of our lives that should not involve "profit".
DeletePolice and Fire have already been accepted as being better run by some government agency and not for profit.
We're seeing education destroyed by trying to force it into a profit model.
We've all ready of the abuses of a for profit penal system. (Sentencing young offenders for petty crimes in order to fill prisons to turn a profit.)
All aspects of healthcare from prevention to treatment, including hospitals and drugs have no business being "for profit". That way leads to death. Insurance companies cap lifetime pay outs. Accountants approve or deny treatments over doctor's recommendations.
I've actually heard of a man in the emergency room having to decide which finger of his hand to save because his insurance wouldn't cover both.
That is insane.
When we (and one other minor country) are the only to that DON'T have single payer or universal healthcare, that should be a red flag right there.
Or are we admitting that we aren't "the greatest county in the world" and all those other countries have managed to create a healthcare system better than ours and make it work?
I highly recommend Michael Moore's Where should we invade next? It covers not only healthcare but explores a lot of what other countries are getting right over the U.S. That would be a start if we really want to make American great.
I was thinking about this today. One Trumpcare change is that it will remove the mandate that large) employers provide healthcare. I think we should go further - empoyers should be forbidden from providing healthcare. That's the only way the moderate "haves" will give a crap. Employer provided healthcare without a good private healthcare option is just slavery anyway.
ReplyDeleteSeriously. All the medical programs should be one. Even the VA. Combine Medicare, Medicaid, Congress Healthcare, VA, and others to make one healthcare system available to all americans.
ReplyDeleteTricare for all! If we can afford to run Tricare for all military persons then we can afford to run it for ALL Americans.
DeleteThe Veterans Choice program has benefitted greatly from the ACA. My Trump supporting relative has care close to home and excellent hospital coverage which he thinks he deserves after a 3 year non combat stint in the 1980's. He might be in for a yuuuge surprise if he gets his wish for Democrats to get out of the way. Sad. Not sad.
Delete