A minute or so of google searches proves you wrong on the quality of gun
control and health care programs in Canada. I can certainly provide many
more articles if you like.

Point.

Counterpoint:

By John R. Battista, M.D. and Justine McCabe, Ph.D.



Why doesn’t the United States have universal health care as a right of
citizenship? The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not
guarantee access to health care as a right of citizenship. 28 industrialized
nations have single payer universal health care systems, while 1 (Germany) has
a multipayer universal health care system like President Clinton proposed for
the United States.


Myth One: The United States has the best health care system in the world.
Fact One: The United States ranks 23rd in infant mortality, down from 12th in
1960 and 21st in 1990


Fact Two: The United States ranks 20th in life expectancy for women down from
1st in 1945 and 13th in 1960


Fact Three: The United States ranks 21st in life expectancy for men down from
1st in 1945 and 17th in 1960.


Fact Four: The United States ranks between 50th and 100th in immunizations
depending on the immunization. Overall US is 67th, right behind Botswana


Fact Five: Outcome studies on a variety of diseases, such as coronary artery
disease, and renal failure show the United States to rank below Canada and a
wide variety of industrialized nations.


Conclusion: The United States ranks poorly relative to other industrialized
nations in health care despite having the best trained health care providers
and the best medical infrastructure of any industrialized nation


Myth Two: Universal Health Care Would Be Too Expensive
Fact One: The United States spends at least 40% more per capita on health care
than any other industrialized country with universal health care


Fact Two: Federal studies by the Congressional Budget Office and the General
Accounting office show that single payer universal health care would save 100
to 200 Billion dollars per year despite covering all the uninsured and
increasing health care benefits.


Fact Three: State studies by Massachusetts and Connecticut have shown that
single payer universal health care would save 1 to 2 Billion dollars per year
from the total medical expenses in those states despite covering all the
uninsured and increasing health care benefits


Fact Four: The costs of health care in Canada as a % of GNP, which were
identical to the United States when Canada changed to a single payer, universal
health care system in 1971, have increased at a rate much lower than the United
States, despite the US economy being much stronger than Canada’s.


Conclusion: Single payer universal health care costs would be lower than the
current US system due to lower administrative costs. The United States spends
50 to 100% more on administration than single payer systems. By lowering these
administrative costs the United States would have the ability to provide
universal health care, without managed care, increase benefits and still save
money


Myth Three: Universal Health Care Would Deprive Citizens of Needed Services
Fact One: Studies reveal that citizens in universal health care systems have
more doctor visits and more hospital days than in the US


Fact Two: Around 30% of Americans have problem accessing health care due to
payment problems or access to care, far more than any other industrialized
country. About 17% of our population is without health insurance. About 75% of
ill uninsured people have trouble accessing/paying for health care.


Fact Three: Comparisons of Difficulties Accessing Care Are Shown To Be Greater
In The US Than Canada (see graph)


Fact Four: Access to health care is directly related to income and race in the
United States. As a result the poor and minorities have poorer health than the
wealthy and the whites.


Fact Five: There would be no lines under a universal health care system in the
United States because we have about a 30% oversupply of medical equipment and
surgeons, whereas demand would increase about 15%


Conclusion: The US denies access to health care based on the ability to pay.
Under a universal health care system all would access care. There would be no
lines as in other industrialized countries due to the oversupply in our
providers and infrastructure, and the willingness/ability of the United States
to spend more on health care than other industrialized nations.

Myth Four: Universal Health Care Would Result In Government Control And
Intrusion Into Health Care Resulting In Loss Of Freedom Of Choice
Fact One: There would be free choice of health care providers under a single
payer universal health care system, unlike our current managed care system in
which people are forced to see providers on the insurer’s panel to obtain
medical benefits


Fact Two: There would be no management of care under a single payer, universal
health care system unlike the current managed care system which mandates
insurer preapproval for services thus undercutting patient confidentiality and
taking health care decisions away from the health care provider and consumer


Fact Three: Although health care providers fees would be set as they are
currently in 90% of cases, providers would have a means of negotiating fees
unlike the current managed care system in which they are set in corporate board
rooms with profits, not patient care, in mind


Fact Four: Taxes, fees and benefits would be decided by the insurer which would
be under the control of a diverse board representing consumers, providers,
business and government. It would not be a government controlled system,
although the government would have to approve the taxes. The system would be
run by a public trust, not the government.


Conclusion: Single payer, universal health care administered by a state public
health system would be much more democratic and much less intrusive than our
current system. Consumers and providers would have a voice in determining
benefits, rates and taxes. Problems with free choice, confidentiality and
medical decision making would be resolved

Myth Five: Universal Health Care Is Socialized Medicine And Would Be
Unacceptable To The Public
Fact One: Single payer universal health care is not socialized medicine. It is
health care payment system, not a health care delivery system. Health care
providers would be in fee for service practice, and would not be employees of
the government, which would be socialized medicine. Single payer health care is
not socialized medicine, any more than the public funding of education is
socialized education, or the public funding of the defense industry is
socialized defense.


Fact Two: Repeated national and state polls have shown that between 60 and 75%
of Americans would like a publicly financed, universal health care system


Conclusion: Single payer, universal health care is not socialized medicine and
would be preferred by the majority of the citizens of this country

Myth Six: The Problems With The US Health Care System Are Being Solved and Are
Best Solved By Private Corporate Managed Care Medicine because they are the
most efficient
Fact One: Private for profit corporation are the lease efficient deliverer of
health care. They spend between 20 and 30% of premiums on administration and
profits. The public sector is the most efficient. Medicare spends 3% on
administration.


Fact Two: The same procedure in the same hospital the year after conversion
from not-for profit to for-profit costs in between 20 to 35% more


Fact Three: Health care costs in the United States grew more in the United
States under managed care in 1990 to 1996 than any other industrialized nation
with single payer universal health care


Fact Four: The quality of health care in the US has deteriorated under managed
care. Access problems have increased. The number of uninsured has dramatically
increased (increase of 10 million to 43.4 million from 1989 to 1996, increase
of 2.4% from 1989 to 1996- 16% in 1996 and increasing each year).


Fact Five: The level of satisfaction with the US health care system is the
lowest of any industrialized nation.


Fact Six: 80% of citizens and 71% of doctors believe that managed care has
caused quality of care to be compromised


Conclusion: For profit, managed care can not solve the US health care problems
because health care is not a commodity that people shop for, and quality of
care must always be compromised when the motivating factor for corporations is
to save money through denial of care and decreasing provider costs. In addition
managed care has introduced problems of patient confidentiality and disrupted
the continuity of care through having limited provider networks.
Overall Answer to the questions Why doesn’t the US have single payer
universal health care when single payer universal health care is the most
efficient, most democratic and most equitable means to deliver health care? Why
does the United States remain wedded to an inefficient, autocratic and immoral
system that makes health care accessible to the wealthy and not the poor when a
vast majority of citizens want it to be a right of citizenship?
Conclusion: Corporations are able to buy politicians through our campaign
finance system and control the media to convince people that corporate health
care is democratic, represents freedom, and is the most efficient system for
delivering health care

What you can do about this through your state Green Party
Work to pass a single payer, universal health care bill or referendum in your
state. State level bills and referenda will be most effective because a federal
health care system might in fact be too bureaucratic, and because it is not
politically realistic at this time.


Bills or referendum must be written by and supported by health care providers
for the legislature to take them seriously. It is thus imperative to form an
alliance with provider groups. The most effective provider group to go through
is Physicians For A National Health Program which has chapters in every state
(see hand out for partial listing of contact people). A number of states
already have organized single payer efforts: Massachusetts, California,
Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, and Maryland. Join with them.


A first step is to contact state representatives from PNHP and offer to join
with them to write and support a bill bringing single payer, universal health
care to your state if this has not already been done. The Connecticut and
Massachusetts Bills can be used as models to make this task easier (email us at
and we will send you copies of the bills). A referendum is
another way to go, in which case the California referendum can be used as a
model.


A second step is to contact state legislators and find a group who are willing
to sponsor such a bill.


A third step is to create a coalition of groups to work together to support and
publicize this work, or to try to bring together existing groups to work
together on this project. Labor unions, progressive democratic groups,
Medicare/Senior Advocacy groups, the Labor Party, the Reform Party, UHCAN,
existing health care advocacy groups, and state health care provider groups are
all imporatnt to work with and get to join such a coalition. The state medical
society and state hospital association are critical to work with in order to
get any legislation passed. Try to get them to work with you to design a new
model for health care delivery. They will be particularly concerned about who
will control the system, and be very mistrustful of government. A public trust
model with participation by providers, hospitals, business, the public and
government is like to be much more acceptable to them than a pure government
system. Emphasize doing away with managed care, and get them to try and work
with you to find other ways to control costs (necessary to convince
politicians) such as quality assurance standards, which will also protect them
from malpractice


A fourth step is to give talks in support of your bill or referendum where ever
possible. Senior groups, medical staffs, church groups, high school assemblies,
and labor unions are particularly good sources. Excellent materials including
slides, a chart book and videos are available through PNHP.


A fifth step is to raise money through fund raisers, contributions and benefits
held by entertainers. Benefits are particularly useful in bringing out people
who you can inform about single payer, universal health care and your efforts.


A sixth step is to develop media access. The creation of videos that can be
shown on local cable access TV stations is very effective. Newspaper articles,
letters to the editor, and articles by the press are critical. Radio interviews
and radio talk shows are important.


Getting the public to write and call their state representatives in support of
a proposed bill is critical, as is coordinating testimony at a public hearing.


Because the data about single payer universal health care are so revealing of
the problems with corporate America, and because the US citizenry is so
concerned and dissatisfied with our health care system these efforts may yield
surprisingly positive results and be helpful in establishing the Green Party in
the US as a party of the people, by the people and for the people.
We would be happy to help you. Contact us by email at , by
phone at 860-354-1822, or by mail at 88 Cherniske Road, New Milford, CT 06776