Universal Health Care Myths 101

When I'm out on the town, escaping reality for half a friggin' second, the last thing I want to hear is how much my glass of Blackstone will cost me when universal health care becomes policy under the Dreaded Democrats.

Lance Dickie / Seattle Times editorial columnist warned us back in 2005 to expect demonization of UHC in one of many forms: "Spare me the shibboleths and scare tactics — — Hillarycare, waiting lines for MRI's in Canada, the government picking your doctor, the Prussian and commie menace of socialized medicine. Disinformation and selective data from the usual think tanks has lost their sting."

The New England Journal of Medicine predicted way back in 1980 that our country's health care system was indeed "corrosive." In fact, every single outcome under our market-based system has come to pass:

• More than 40 million uninsured
• Continued gaps in safety net coverage
• Double-digit health plan rate increases
• Smaller employers cutting coverage or even dropping health plans
• Increased copayments and deductibles for employees
• Large rate increases for private insurers in shrinking markets
• Numerous failures of HMOs and withdrawal from the market by larger
insurance companies
• Continued cost shifting in an increasingly fragmented market
• Continued inflation of health care costs

--(Crisis in Health Care, 1990)

So what gives with all the scare tactics, i.e. Canada as this country evolves towards a single-payer system of universal health care? "Everyone keeps his or her doctor and, more to the point, everyone will have one. The medical-delivery system — physicians, hospitals and pharmaceuticals — stays private, but the paperwork and bills are routed through and paid by the federal government."

With so many health advantages for everyday Americans, for what good reason would our elected officials support decreasing access to those they serve?

Back in the 1990's, "iron triangle" of closely allied stakeholders in the pro-market health care system (business, the insurance industry, the medical profession) kept universal health care from the masses. At this point, "the corporate class will promulgate the myths...in well-funded campaigns of disinformation."

Even that mind-set is changing.

“The refrain from business was, ‘We can’t afford to do universal health care,’ ” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). “Now the refrain is, ‘We can’t afford not to do it.’ ”

Pick Your Myth and as you read, be aware that every single argument has been countered.

And please, let me drink my Merlot in peace.

Pick Your Myth

It's the uninsured's fault that they're uninsured.
The uninsured should take more individual responsibility to get insurance. It’s not our responsibility to give them insurance.
The uninsured are lazy and free-ride off the health care system – why should I care about them?
Universal healthcare would essentially be a government handout to the uninsured.
Why should I pay for someone else’s poor health choices? I don’t want to pay for some
crackhead’s addiction.
The uninsured already get free healthcare.
Everyone who is uninsured can get Medicaid, so what’s the problem?
Healthcare is not a right.
No one should get free healthcare.
Healthcare should be treated like an individual commodity – it should only be available to those who can afford it.
UHC is fundamentally anti-American, because America is a capitalist and individualist society.
We have the best health care system in the world. Why should we endanger it by adopting universal health care?
The government can't do anything right, and they definitely shouldn't be involved with our healthcare system.
I don’t want government-run healthcare.
I don’t like the idea of big government, and UHC would be just that.
The free market is the best solution to the lack of insurance.
I don’t want UHC because it’s socialized medicine.
might support UHC but are concerned about the implementation
We can’t afford UHC.
People will abuse the free health care in a UHC system.
UHC would create waiting lists.
UHC would result in the rationing of care.
Jobs will be lost during the transition from our current system to UHC.
UHC will never work because people don’t want higher taxes.
UHC is not a good idea because we would have to pay for the health care for immigrants.
UHC will restrict choice.
The quality of care will suffer under UHC.
Research will slow down under a UHC system.
Technology will decrease under UHC.
Doctors will never buy into UHC because the government will interfere with their
clinical autonomy
Doctors will never buy into UHC because it will decrease their salaries.
Doctors will never support UHC because they benefit too much from the current system.

How will Barack Obama will pay for his health insurance proposal?

"Roll back the Bush tax cuts on the top 1 percent."

How much money are we talking?

***

Per data released by the Congressional Budget Office, "households in the top 1% of earnings got a break of about $58,000, which is more than most middle-class households earn in a year."

"Households in the top 1 percent of earnings, which had an average income of $1.25 million, saw their effective individual tax rates drop to 19.6 percent in 2004 from 24.2 percent in 2000. The rate cut was twice as deep as for middle-income families, and it translated to an average tax cut of almost $58,000."



"Every American has the right to affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage. My plan will ensure that all Americans have health care coverage through their employers, private health plans, the federal government, or the states. My plan builds on and improves our current insurance system, which most Americans continue to rely upon, and creates a new public health plan for those currently without coverage. Under my plan, Americans will be able to choose to maintain their current coverage if they choose to. For those without health insurance I will establish a new public insurance program, and provide subsides to afford care for those who need them. My plan includes a mandate that all children have health care coverage and I will expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs to help ensure we cover all kids. My plan requires all employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan. Under my plan a typical family will save $2,500 each year. We will realize tremendous savings within the health care system from improving efficiency and quality and reducing wasted expenditures system-wide. Specifically, these savings will result from investments in health information technology, improvements in prevention and management of chronic conditions, increased insurance industry competition and reduced industry overhead, the provision of federal reinsurance for catastrophic coverage, and reduced spending on uncompensated care."

--Barack Obama