SINGLE-PAYER:� REPS. CONYERS, MCDERMOTT INTRODUCE BILL
National Journal,
February 5, 2003
Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), a member of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, have introduced a bill that would create a national single-payer health system, CongressDaily reports.� According to McDermott, the bill would have the federal government finance but not administer the system and would keep the current system of private physicians and hospitals.� McDermott said it is "nonsense to suggest the nation cannot afford such a system," noting that the federal government "already spends $2,600 per person" on health care through Medicare, Medicaid, other public health plans and tax exclusions for employers who provide workers' coverage.� Conyers said, "Even the people who don't like [a single-payer system] are moving to it.� There's nothing else left" (Rovner, CongressDaily, 2/4).� According to a bill summary, the system would expand the current Medicare system to all U.S. residents. The system would be funded through the existing Medicare payroll tax and a new payroll tax and would provide coverage for a variety of services, including primary care, prescription drugs and dental and vision services (Bill summary).
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=15882