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    Categories: Politics

Why We Need a Single Payer Healthcare System



Despite the criticism it has received from the right, experts agree that the Affordable Care Act has been a resounding success overall. Millions more Americans now have coverage that was previously only available to those who could afford it, with women and minorities seeing the greatest benefits. But with a large number of Americans still lacking adequate care, many believe that the ACA simply doesn’t go far enough.

Progressives have long been educating Americans about the wonders of single payer healthcare systems, citing success stories such as Canada, the U.K. and France. Not only do these countries have better quality care, but they also spend far less per capita on healthcare than we do. Government experts frequently appear on the media to talk about the many benefits of state run healthcare. The most obvious benefit is that there are no insurance companies to overcharge customers, deny coverage and heartlessly discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. In a single payer system, everybody gets full coverage, regardless of whether they can pay, and service is given on the basis of need, not wants. When the waiting lines become too long to service everybody in good time, those who have the most urgent needs are served first, rather than those with the most money. In a free market healthcare system, the rich get whatever healthcare they desire, while more needy people are denied healthcare simply because they cannot afford it.

Women, minorities, the elderly, and people who suffer from weight-issues, are the most enthusiastic about a single payer system. The least enthusiastic are white males who complain about the increased taxes they have to pay, and the disproportionately small benefits they receive. But isn’t this what a healthcare system is about? Taking care of the sick and needy, rather than the privileged and able? Those who complain about the increased taxes and need-based rationing of a single payer system need to check their privilege, and think about the broader benefits to society that universal healthcare will bring. Healthcare is there to help those in need – it is a necessity, not a luxury; and for companies to profit from the illnesses of others, while denying those without money the right to basic medical care, is morally reprehensible, and most importantly, un-American.


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View Comments (30)

  • "experts agree that the Affordable Care Act has been a resounding success overall."

    Are you kidding? Even Dems acknowledge that it's a failure , there are virtually no companies still participating , participation by "paying customers" is dropping like a rock , and Obama is ILLEGALLY funding companies to beg them to stay even though his legal right to continue subsidies - the only reason they'd participated in the first place - is now ending by law .

    "Millions more Americans now have coverage that was previously only available to those who could afford it.."

    No , millions who could afford it now cant .

    A woman in Georgia earning $49,000 was quoted $14000/yr. with an additional $6000 deductible , and you have the nerve to use the word "afford" ?

    And the working poor get premium credits , but cant pay the astronomical deductibles their policies contain , so either the gov has to cover that too or the hospitals/doctors dont get paid .

    We were assured that a single payer system was not the intent , remember?
    Now , like sheep , we're supposed to be herded into one?
    Go back and read more of your Saul Alinsky books , all you libs do is LIE , LIE , and LIE .

    • Agree...who ARE these racist right-wing clowns?

      Can they not see that Sweden's socialist system CAN work here because we are ALL the same, exactly the same, in EVERY SINGLE WAY except skin color?!?!

      Sweden's system has been saved by the migration of millions of refugees who are now Swedish just like a native-born Swede, consequently, they will start behaving just like the legacy Swedes did.

      They will work and support gender equity and tolerance and the right of womyn to walk around naked and will pay into the socialist system like good Swedes, having the right amount of children who will grow up as good progressives.

      So why isn't the United States doing these same systems here? EVERYONE here is an American now and they will do the same things as Americans always did, even like in 1955 when this country was embarrassingly 90% white.

      Because we are ALL THE SAME. This is also why spreading democracy works so well...once freed from the brutal clutches of a despot, western European democratic behaviors spring up almost immediately. Look- we ALL bleed red and are part of ONE race, the human race, therefore everyone in every part of the world acts exactly the same way in response to the same conditions. This is why socialism and democracy should be everywhere!

      • Yes, free speech is ok, as long as it doesn't offend or upset oppressed groups in society such as women and minorities. Subversive speech that undermines trust in our government is also dangerous and should not be allowed.

      • Yes, undocumented immigrants can also benefit our economy and boost our healthcare system just like refugees have done in Europe. The more people we have participating in the healthcare system, the more aggregate demand we have and the greater the GDP.

    • FACT CHECK: Numerous government studies show that the coverage rate has increased for women, African Americans and Hispanic Americans. The only demographic group for which coverage did not increase was privileged white males, who can afford to pay more.

      Are you even bothering to inform yourself by watching the news? It sounds like you've been reading nothing but alternative media sites and racists who want to discredit Obama!

  • I wouldn't mind a single payer system as opposed to Obamacare I'm paying a lot more as a single white male already and I'm getting way less care bc my deductible is massive.... so a single payer where we get rid of profit based healthcare companies yea I'm cool with that , then maybe have for profit doctors and hospitals that have better level care for the inevitable lines and wait times as is common in Canada. Kinda like the post office and fed ex

      • Yes, and the Quik Trip clerk attacked Saint Brown The Unarmed's hand with his neck! And yet the racist police did not prosecute him because of WHITE privilege! Saint Brown was merely walking down the street in the middle of the road, minding his own business, dreaming about his future as a surgeon or astrophysicist after his rap career took off, and then Officer Wilson shot him 50 times in cold blood! Brown was running away from Wilson, which is why all of the bullets hit him in the back. Wilson attacked the same hands with his gun in his squad car and with his face before the shooting. How much aggression are black lives expected to suffer before they loot merchandise from stores?

        This is what bystanders and his mom told us and CNN repeated it, so it's TRUE.

        • In this case, it might have been Asian privilege, as store clerk who was attacking Brown by hitting Browns' fragile fist with his head and neck was Asian. I really am at loss what to do in such cases. On one hand, Asians are a minority, on the other hand, they are traitors by doing even better than evil whites!

        • Maybe Obama should order that streets be named after Michael Brown and the whole city of Ferguson be renamed "Michael Brownville" and maybe posthumously award him the Congressional Medal of Freedom.

    • You're a white male - you can afford to pay more, so suck it up. And NO - NO PROFITS! What gives someone the right to PROFIT from somebody else's illness?? That truly has to be one of the worst abominations of capitalism. You have no right to deny someone their right to basic healthcare!

      • This is why Putin and Trump hate Hillary so much. Hillary wants poor people, women and POC to have access to inexpensive quality healthcare. They are WHITE MALE conspiring to deny all healthcare to all women and all POC everywhere.

    • There is one law that would change everything. Allow health insurance companies to sell insurance across state lines like car insurance. Health Insurance's compete in a monopolistic environment where there is very little competition within in each state therefore can raise your rates 50% and you have no other choice but to take it.

      Example: "The Blue Cross and Blue Shield System consists of 36 independently operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield member companies, a Federal Employee Program® and an Association, which serves the collective needs of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans." http://www.bcbs.com/

      So, no, we do not need a single payer system. Just look at the VA system and tell me how that is well is working. We need to bring back and enforce the anti-monopoly laws so you and I can choose what is best for ourselves.

      Sorry MBD, you are wrong again.

      • I do not think that we need many companies competing. Just think about all CEO's, duplicate clerks, etc. By having a single-payer system, everything can be streamlined and there are no redundancies, no rent-seeking top level CEO's, so the cost should be lower! Besides, with a centralized, state-run insurance/healthcare system it is easy to promote underrepresented minorities to the positions of power. This would be more difficult in capitalist, cutthroat competitive system.

        • Exactly. Monopolies are always more efficient because there is no competition to distract them, and they can hire the best talent to do the work. It's also easier for customers, because there's only one service to choose, as opposed to hundreds of different choices.

      • Your suggestion would take us in the wrong direction.

        The ultimate goal is to have a single-payer system for the whole World. Therefore, each country needs to move to a single-payer system which can then be unified on a global level.

      • I see you've lapped up all of Trump's propaganda. No, allowing 'competition' will NOT decrease prices and increase quality, because the healthcare will still be provided by CORPORATIONS and corporations always exploit their customers! We need healthcare that is fairly distributed by an elected government, so that there is no corruption, exploitation or inefficiency!

  • Anyone who pays federal taxes, is in the 1%.
    Since Trump does not pay federal taxes, that means he is one of the 99%
    Therefore, a vote for healthcare is a vote for federal taxes, and the associated tax increase means you get to join the 1%.

    I am balls deep into this one.

  • The need for universal free single payer health care is accepted science, accepted economic fact and undeniable at this point. Anyone advocating for any competition whatsoever in healthcare is an economic and scientific terrorist. We need Nuremberg type trials to root out those committing crimes against humanity for anyone questioning single payer universal health care.

    • I think you meant to say "Healthcare is a human right for POC, women and LGBT"

      There, fixed it for ya. No need to thank me.

    • I suspect strongly that the people who criticize Obamacare on many websites/forum are Russian paid trolls. Putin seems to have an unlimited budget to hire millions of trolls who challenge the success of Obamacare or either the fact that the US economy is healthy

      • Yes, computer experts worldwide have verified that Putin personally ordered the KGB to pay Syrian terrorists to run a smear campaign on Obamacare while simultaneously hacking DNC servers and passing Hillary's emails to Wikileaks.
        This is exactly why progressives demand Hillary carry through with her promise to nuke Moscow and Damascus as her first act once being inaugurated as President for Life.

        • Experts who determined Russian involvement are the highly qualified journalists (and computer experts at their free time) from CNN and MSNBC. Their accredited qualifications can not be doubted.

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