Signs for a four-year-old at Mondays rally for health care.

Some facts about single-payer health care.

We are the only major developed nation without some form of it.

Typically it costs about half per capita of what our health care costs.

It typically runs around 10% of GDP. Our health care consumes about 16% of GDP (and that's a higher GDP per capita, so the ddisparity is even greater).

EVERYBODY is covered, and the costs are still lower.

Administrative costs in single-payer systems typically run around 5-6% . Administrative costs in the US healthcare mess run around 30%. So much for government inefficiency.

Consumer satisfaction with single-payer is higher than in the US.

Public health metrics indicate people live longer, healthier lives with single-payer. We;re down paying tag with some third world countries in public health measures.

Of personal bankruptcies in the US, more than half are due to catastrophic medical expenses. Of those who filed bankruptcies due to medical expenses, the majority were middle class with health insurance. The insurers wiggled out of paying for it. Policies were canceled. People paid for it, or tried to, rather than letting grandma die, or their husband, or their kid. That's the real health care rationing, and the private insurance industry is doing it.

Single-payer works. American private healthcare limps. The public option isn't great, but it's better than what we have. And so is "socialized medicine".

Some facts about single-payer health care.

We are the only major developed nation without some form of it.

Typically it costs about half per capita of what our health care costs.

It typically runs around 10% of GDP. Our health care consumes about 16% of GDP (and that's a higher GDP per capita, so the ddisparity is even greater).

EVERYBODY is covered, and the costs are still lower.

Administrative costs in single-payer systems typically run around 5-6% . Administrative costs in the US healthcare mess run around 30%. So much for government inefficiency.

Consumer satisfaction with single-payer is higher than in the US.

Public health metrics indicate people live longer, healthier lives with single-payer. We;re down paying tag with some third world countries in public health measures.

Of personal bankruptcies in the US, more than half are due to catastrophic medical expenses. Of those who filed bankruptcies due to medical expenses, the majority were middle class with health insurance. The insurers wiggled out of paying for it. Policies were canceled. People paid for it, or tried to, rather than letting grandma die, or their husband, or their kid. That's the real health care rationing, and the private insurance industry is doing it.

Single-payer works. American private healthcare limps. The public option isn't great, but it's better than what we have. And so is "socialized medicine".

Oh, hell, sorry about the double post. Sometimes, maybe when the site is being refreshed, the safeguards against it go down,nothing apparently happens when you hit "reply", so you hit it again, and still nothing happens, but then when you check, it has double posted.

All that's going to be a bit hard to put on one sign, MJ.

True. It was meant as a reply to the Grinch.

I didn't know there was one in Boston. Call me unaware. Where and when? Tell us what her decision is on what to say, and I'll see if I can come by and find her and compliment her on it. Good on the two of you.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthinsurancereformnow/gpkgbf

you've had 16 years to do that.

you...did...squat.

An "honest contest" suggests that there are two honest sides with worthy ideas.

How About

Mr. President Explain It to them...like they're 4 year olds

"UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE
EASY ENOUGH FOR A
4 YEAR OLD TO UNDERSTAND"

I wish... if this was true, I would be advocating VERY strongly for it. Single payer makes the most sense for the masses, clearly, (IMO everyone) and anyone with half a brain should realize it.

I'll grant you "universal insurance" is perhaps the most idiotic plan ever conceived of. Guaranteeing private parasitic profit at the point of a government gun is the height of idiocy... and can only serve to preserve our present dilemma where maintaining ailment is more profitable than curing it... but the most logical solution will be found in your greatest fear: Single Payer.

Emergency room service ≠ an intelligently contemplated safety net. Everyone should realize this much. At the same time, obviously, the masses will never vote to deny themselves emergency room care. So, your desire that everyone pay their own way will never, ever, be realized. Hence, it only makes sense to cover healthcare needs in a more cost-effective manner.

Further, a single payer, not for profit, would be more interested in cures than maintenance and would have the buying power to make them more profitable. This is the only logical eventual conclusion, anyway. You simply cannot continue to convince a majority of citizens to vote in policy that is not in the majority's best interest.

Rich and poor alike will benefit from any transition that will set the focus on cures rather than maintenance. And this just happens to be an inevitable side-effect to that which you seem to fear most; Single Payer.

If a hole can be punched in this logic, Finn, I'm wide open to learning where I've gone astray. But I have yet to hear a compelling argument for how we could possibly be better off with our current system.

There is simply no reason that a general public that is taxed as severely as we already are shouldn't be able to use our collective bargaining power to obtain healthcare that focuses on the goal; CURES.

Just to be clear; this is NOT an endorsement of any "universal insurance" plan.

This kid is cute, made me think of this thread.

That's ebrown's daughter, and her sign. I sat aqcross from them on the train into Boston, and thought there was a chance that's who they were--asked him as the crowd got off, andin about a 5000 to 3 set of odds found out that, yes, that's who they were. I told her we were proud of her.

And I'm pretty sure that's ebrown's arm at the left.

And his feet at bottom left.

Sad, ebreown brainwashing a four old kid. She is a cute little thing though. And I liked her sign.

she's a beautiful child. ya done good, e.

How-to-Fund-the-Program is the issue, not making ignorant comments. The interstate highway system was funded by the gasoline tax.

I also have mixed feelings about putting a four year old into the middle of a political controversy. However, a few days ago, at my literacy volunteer meeting, I was asked to help create a fundraiser to raise money for a six year old with cancer. The father is an auto mechanic and the mother works part time at the library. They pay for an HMO, but it will not cover all the treatment recommended and it will not allow them to use the doctor of their choice. The library people are going to try and raise enough money so the family will not have to take out a second mortgage on their home - which would be a financial stress for them and might be a gamble in which they would lose everything. America is becoming a nation of beggars all because a few people can't let go of a few dollars for the good of all.