Our right to health care, and to real reform
By RICHARD PROPP
Times Union (Albany, NY)
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician, stated in his oath that “I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.”
It is well to remember these cautions as we look to the healing of our health care non-system, particularly when studying proposals for a public option, as contrasted with single payer.
A public option means you may purchase insurance from a separate government- or non-profit-run insurance program as an alternative source of health care financing. It leaves the private insurance industry in place to conduct business as usual.
Private insurance companies adamantly oppose a public option because they contend it will expose them to unfair low-overhead competition. Public option folks adamantly support it, saying that it will provide insurance to many who might be uninsured and that it is “politically feasible.” A public option is far from being a tax-supported privately run single-payer health care system. In fact, the public option would only add to the cost and complexity of administration, billing and collecting. It leaves the thousand or so private health insurance company systems and their exorbitant overheads and draconian policies intact. As such, it is just the latest example of incremental reform.
In his 2008 book, “Healthcare, Guaranteed,” Ezekial Emanuel, now health care advisor to the Office of Management and Budget, stated; “Setting concrete goals for a new American health care system is vitally important, but it is perhaps more important that citizens find the courage to demand comprehensive reform of the system. Our system is so fundamentally and irreparably flawed that incremental health care reform can only exacerbate the chaotic and exorbitantly expensive services we receive today.”
We accept the premise that all are entitled to police and fire protection, and that quality education is a right for all children. Health care is a necessity as well. Should health care be afforded the same stature?
This is the crux of the problem, and the American people must decide whether they want health care to be a right.
If so, a gradual expansion of an improved and refocused Medicare system, implemented in age groups of five years at a time, would be a relatively simple way to accomplish it.
Other parts of the system also need change, such as the cost of a medical education. The only downside would be a decrease in private insurance company profits and politicians’campaign chests.
Is that what we are afraid of?
Challenge your representatives If they don’t support real health care reform, vote them out. But do not settle for something under the guise of “reform” that will just make things worse. And don’t be fooled by proposals like the insurance mandate that is plaguing Massachusetts and inflicting real financial pain on ordinary people.
It takes courage and tenacity, but in the long run, it will be worth it to hold out for real reform — an American single-payer health system, funded by the government and run by private physicians and hospitals.
Richard Propp, M.D., of Albany is chair of the Capital District Alliance for Universal Healthcare.