After reading everything I can find about the subject, it is obvious to me that Single Payer is the one option that provides the greatest bang for the buck for our nation. Indeed, I think it is the ONLY option that our country CAN afford.
Talking Points:
Single Payer allows providers, from doctors' offices to clinics to major hospitals, to GREATLY reduce their administrative overhead. They don't need huge staffs and offices to deal with all of the insurance paperwork, billing, etc. I have been in doctors' offices in other countries where the doctor was the only person present. This could save Billions.
Single Payer negates the fact that insurance corporations must satisfy their shareholders above all other considerations. Insurance companies are not in business to provide health care - they exist only to make money for their owners. They are an unnecessary burden for our economy. This could save Billions.
Single Payer allows all employers, large and small, to reduce or eliminate their need to insure their employees. That would be a huge savings for American businesses, making them more competitive in the global economy. This could save Billions.
Single Payer would allow all Americans to seek early treatment at their doctor's office instead of waiting for their condition to deteriorate to a crisis condition, then racing to the ER for an expensive emergency procedure. This could save Billions.
Single Payer would eliminate the thousands of annual medical bankruptcies in our nation. Citizens in other first world countries don't worry about losing their homes because of health care expenses. I have personal experience in this regard. This could save Billions.
Single Payer, by allowing all Americans to afford the treatments they need, would enable a more productive workforce. There would be fewer sick days, and healthier employees. This would save Billions.
Single Payer would allow more mobility in America's workforce. Workers could migrate to where they would be most productive, without worrying about pre-existing conditions, whether their prospective employer provides good insurance, or whether they can afford to insure themselves and their families if they want to start their own business. This could save Billions.
As Dennis Kucinich pointed out years ago, when asked how we could afford health care for all, he said, "We are already paying for health care for all. We're just not getting it! For what we are paying in health care expenses now, we could cover everybody, including medical, dental, prescriptions and mental health".
President Obama, you are rapidly losing the support of the American people. We elected you because of your promise of Change. We are looking for strong leadership, not wishy-washy, flip-flopping, non-coherent statements coming from you and your staff. Stand up for what is right. I've given you the talking points for a platform the American people can understand. Single Payer saves hundreds of billions of dollars in waste, fraud, abuse and lost opportunities. Single Payer covers and protects all of our citizens, making America a better place to live and work.
We can not afford the status quo. We will go broke if we continue on this same path. The Republicans' idea of bipartisanship is seeing Democrats fail. That is all they want. If Democrats fail, they win. Our People must be your first consideration, NOT the corporations.
We can do this. Yes We Can.