Category — health care

U! S! A! We’re Number …. 15? | Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace | AlterNet

A new report shows that in terms of aggregate health, education, purchasing power, security and general well-being, the U.S. has been in decline.

But there is one larger force underlying these trends that has been gaining steam over the past three decades, and that’s income inequality.

When Uncle Con starts yelling about “socialized medicine,” you can tell him, in all seriousness, that we’re already two-thirds there. From here, the only question remaining is how we’re going to make sure we’re getting the most for the money we’re already spending.

Only about a third of the country is still dependent on the “dominant” paradigm—private plans paid for by non-government employers. Everybody else in the country—over 200 million of us—gets most or all of their health care via some form of government-subsidized system.

Government-Funded Health Care? Were Already Two-Thirds There | OurFuture.org

THE REPUBLICAN PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH CARE…. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) is not in a position to speak for the entire congressional Republican caucus, but if his perspective is the norm inside the GOP, we probably shouldn’t look for too much bipartisan cooperation in the debate over health care reform.

“Listen, health care a privilege…,” says Rep. Zack Wamp. “For some people it’s a right. But for everyone, frankly, it’s not necessarily a right.” 

The Washington Monthly

With President Bush no longer around to veto it, the Senate has ”overwhelmingly approved legislation yesterday to provide health insurance to 11 million low-income children, a bill that would for the first time spend federal money to cover children and pregnant women who are legal immigrants. … The House approved similar legislation on Jan. 14, and President Obama is expected to sign a final version as early as next week.”

Senate Passes Health Legislation for Low-Income Children (Finally!) | Health and Wellness | AlterNet

Why Single-Payer Health Care Can’t Wait | Health and Wellness | AlterNet
“People sometimes ask me ‘Can’t we have serious health care reform without taking on the private insurance companies? Obama says his plan will compete with private insurers.’ The thing is, it’s not just insurance companies that people will be competing with, but drug companies, right-wing think tanks, and a massive, ongoing public relations campaign.”

79 Million US Adults Have Medical Bill Problems Or Are Paying Off Medical Debt
ScienceDaily Aug. 25, 2008 — The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt.

None of my previous agitation has matched the fury I felt during Wednesday night’s debatewhen John McCain snidely responded to Obama’s health care plan, “If you like that, you’ll love Canada and England”. I became so enraged that I thought I was going to burst a blood vessel.

Jean Hannah Edelstein: John McCain says national healthcare is too British for America |

What Would You Do If You Had Guaranteed Health Care? | OurFuture.org

Countries with universal coverage free up their citizens to take advantage of personal development opportunities that, in the long run, stimulate the economy and create a more skilled, traveled, educated, and fulfilled workforce. Americans, on the other hand, routinely stay chained to jobs they hate — and are forced to pass up on chances to expand their horizons and their fortunes — because they can’t afford to jeopardize their health care coverage.

Every person in America is feeling the pinch of rising health care costs and sinking health care coverage. While insurance company profits have risen 1000% in the last five years, the typical American pays more for less coverage every year. Sign on to Health Care for America Now then forward to others. 

Health Care for America NOW

American medical care might be the most expensive in the world, but it is getting increasingly difficult to argue that it is worth every penny. A study that was to be released on Thursday highlights the stark contrast between what the United States spends on its health system and the quality of care it delivers, compared with health care in many other industrialized nations.

Deep flaws found in U.S. health care – International Herald Tribune