SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE—THE TIME IS NOW!!

The numbers speak volumes…

Five years ago, 40 million Americans were without health insurance. Today, that number is 45 million and growing, with 18,000 dying each year from lack of healthcare.

In response, many politicians have produced “reforms” that side with drug manufacturers, insurance companies, and large corporations like Wal-Mart, instead of the hard working people they were elected to represent. They have tried to silence working families and seniors with complex schemes like “Health Savings Accounts,” “Association Health Plans,” “Discount Cards,” and inefficient programs that require a PhD in bureaucracy to understand.  

 The people have been promised change, but all we’ve gotten is lip-service, confusion and miles of red tape. We’ve been promised increased affordability and access, but we’ve gotten double digit increases in insurance premiums, co-payments, deductibles, and prescription drug costs.    

So who benefits from a broken healthcare system? Who else--special interests and the politicians who protect them. It comes as no surprise that Insurance companies, drug manufacturers, and irresponsible employers that shift their employees’ healthcare costs onto the shoulders of taxpayers are making record profits—or that they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars waging a war of misinformation against every meaningful healthcare reform proposed over the past 10 years. Meanwhile, nearly 7 million Californians now lack health insurance, 10 million lack drug coverage, and more than 80% of the uninsured are members of the same working families that drive our state’s economy. Worst of all, twenty percent of our children have no health insurance at all.

It’s time for elected officials who will stand up for a real healthcare solution.  Single Payer Healthcare (SB 840, Kuehl) would insure every Californian, eliminate the uncertainty of losing coverage during life transitions, improve health information systems, and provide both consumers and taxpayers with fewer costs, greater choices, better care, and improved efficiency.

Because single payer corrects the abuses of those who benefit from the current system, we can expect yet another campaign of deception to try and undermine a real chance for healthcare reform. Californians deserve the facts, not spin: 

• Single payer healthcare is not socialized medicine, not even close. Government replaces insurance companies, but Hospitals and doctors remain private.  Employers, employees, and individuals pay a modest premium for comprehensive coverage and no-out of pocket expenses. You can use whatever doctor you choose.
• Single payer healthcare covers everyone, and residency is the only requirement. No exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and changes in employment status will not affect your coverage. Because 15-20% of insurance premiums currently cover the cost of care for the uninsured, ensuring access to preventive care and comprehensive coverage for Californians who currently lack insurance will ultimately save healthcare consumers and taxpayers money.
• Single payer healthcare does not expand bureaucracy. Numerous studies have shown that SPH will dramatically improve efficiency, focus substantially more healthcare dollars on care, and improve quality by investing in electronic health information systems and eliminating burdensome HMO coverage rules.
• Single payer healthcare lowers healthcare expenses for all businesses and consumers. Gone will be the days of deductibles, co-pays, and out of pocket expenses. Additionally, SPH puts every Californian in a single health “group”--able to offer consumers substantially increased Rx and equipment purchasing power—resulting in lower prices.

If your Assemblyman is not on record in support of single payer healthcare (SB 840, Kuehl), call them and ask whose side they’re on. Remind them that politicians represent “special interests,” and public servants represent “the people’s interests.”  

Jim Cook, Col., USMC Ret.
9542 Laguna Lake Way
Elk Grove, CA 95758
(916) 524-6515
jim@jimcook.org

Col. Jim Cook spent more than 30 years in the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve, and was a school teacher in Elk Grove. Jim currently serves as a Parole Officer for the California Department of Corrections, and is a Democratic Candidate for the California State Assembly, 10th District.