Nationalized Healthcare

A recent national survey conducted by the American Consumer Institute showed that American consumers are split in their support of a nationalized health plan in which doctors and hospitals would be under federal government control. According to the survey? 43% would favor such a plan? compared to 50% who would oppose the plan. (Agency for Heathcare Research and Quality:25-50)

The bureaucratic administrative waste and greed for profits drive up the costs of health care in the US. Costs designated as "overhead" go only to pay for administration and other non-patient directed fees? including corporate profits. 13% of private insurance premiums are used to pay overhead costs in the U.S. ? according to the Journal of the National Medical Association. This number goes up to 30% for large carriers such as U.S. Healthcare and Blue Cross of Massachusetts. These costs are paid by the insured. Large overheads often prevent low income families from being able to pay for insurance or even just the increasingly large co-payments for treatment. This means people who need treatment will be driven into poverty to get it. Compared to the exorbitant 13% overhead in the US? less than 1% of premiums in the Canadian health care system went to overhead costs. (Himmelstein: 95-115)

A major argument against a nationalized health care system is that it will be ineffecient. This is false. The so-called "efficient" system of competition in the US is actually just the opposite. Costs are increasing? administrative waste is on the rise? physicians and patients are subject to corporate control? and the poor simply do not get the treatment they deserve. By 1990? the average US hospital was spending 25% of its revenues on billing and administration? compared to 10% in Canadian hospitals? according to the New england Journal of Medicine. (Henry: 48-59)

Removing the medical sector from the free enterprise system tends to reduce the overall quality of health care. Study-upon-study has shown the quality of health care is typically higher in the U.S. than in any other nation? including those with nationalized health insurance. The United States has lower breast and prostate cancer mortality rates than New Zealand? the United Kingdom? Germany? Canada? France and Australia. (Agency for Heathcare Research and Quality:25-50)

Nationalized health insurance would be good for U.S. employees. The resulting reduction in cost of American-made goods would help U.S. companies compete in global trade? thus keeping more jobs at home. Workers would gain job mobility. Too many Americans stay in jobs they dislike? or hesitate to start their own businesses out of fear of losing their health insurance. employer-provided health insurance tends to stifle innovation. (Henry: 48-59)

The majority of Americans rank health care as an “extremely important” voting issue. Likewise? the majority of those people suggest Democrats are better suited to reform health care than republicans Nearly all leading democrats support a form of government-controlled “universal” health care-socialized medicine. (Agency for Heathcare Research and Quality:25-50)

No debate exists on the fact that the current system is a labyrinth of regulations? tax code stipulations? and ...