By Elizabeth Carson, A.P.R.N.
The Baltimore Sun, April 12, 2018
Congress has managed to mess up our complicated, dysfunctional health care system so badly that states are left to come up with temporary patches to stave off disaster (“Marylandās year of health care,ā April 6), (“New tax on insurers to help stabilize Obamacare market,ā April 5).
Meanwhile, we are still being held hostage by private insurance companies. Our money is being wasted on high administrative costs, high executive salaries and advertising. Health care providers spend time and money dealing with multiple insurance companies. We now pay premiums, co-pays and co-insurance, yet we are left to argue with insurance companies who try to deny payment for needed care. When will we say “enough”?
We need a single-payer system that provides quality health care for everyone. We need a system that costs less, with no out of pocket expenses, gives us freedom to choose health care providers and allows providers and patients to make care decisions. We know that other countries have done this for less money and with better health care outcomes than the U.S. People say it can’t be done here. But Congress already has a detailed plan that meets these requirements: HR 676, Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, currently with 122 co-sponsors.
Look it up and be prepared to be impressed. When will we treat health care as a human right? When will we demand more?