An impossibly complicated system causes medical bankruptcies(Cleveland Plain Dealer)
To the editor:
Regarding the Plain Dealers Feb. 2 lead article, Medical bills blamed in half of bankruptcies, a reference is made to Physicians for a National Health Program, which advocates a single-payer system as the only solution to the United States many health care problems. The article goes on to quote Dr. Steffie Woolhandler as saying, every other developed nation in the world has a single-payer health-care system. There is no reason we cant make it work in this country.
The Single-Payer Action Network Ohio (SPAN Ohio) fully concurs with this view. That is why our coalition, which includes many physicians and health care providers, the Ohio AFL-CIO and UAW, political leaders, faith groups and community organizations is sponsoring an initiative petition to make the Health Care For All Ohioans Act (HCFAOA) the law of Ohio. If passed by the voters, this measure would guarantee all Ohio residents comprehensive medical care as a matter of right from birth to end of life.
Single-payer means that one fund, administered by a non-profit government agency, would make payments for all medical services. Medicare is an example of a single-payer system. We would like to see Medicare broadened to include all residents, regardless of age, employment status, or pre-existing conditions. Under HCFAOA, there would be no co-payments, no deductibles, no premiums and no limits.
There is no prospect at present for winning adoption of single-payer on a federal level so efforts are being made to achieve it first on a state level. Some state has to be first. Why not Ohio?
Jerry Gordon
Cleveland
Gordon is secretary of the Single-Payer Action Network Ohio.