We all should/must call, write, email our Representatives, Senators, Letters to the Editor, friends, and anyone else we can think of to support a universal health care service; but I want to caution against taking the route "choice of a private or public health insurance plan." The Insurance Corporations’ lobbyists will take care of their own; but we must demand exactly what we want, get for-profit corporations out of health care!
While I am sure there are polls that show that "73% of voters want a choice of a private or public health insurance plan," there are other polls that show fully 64% want a universal insurance for all, not an either/or choices which will lead to confusion... remember the choices the pharmaceutical corporations gave us. What a confusing mess that was/is... donut holes and all!
Here is one poll:
SHOULD GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL?
http://www.cbsnews.com/...
Yes 64%
No 27%
The USA’s healthcare system is broken and bankrupting American businesses. We pay more and have the worst healthcare outcomes of any modern industrialized nation. NeoCons talk about "free markets," while insurance corporations tell patients which "preferred provider" physicians they can see, and tell the physicians how many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures they cannot order.
There is a fundamental conflict of interest in "corporate healthcare" because corporations by law must put the stockholder's profit above any other consideration, including patient care and the environment. For-profit healthcare reduces the Hippocratic Oath of "First, do no harm" to "You money or your life."
The insurance corporate lobbyists will make the argument that "choice" is the American Way, but THEIR choice does not have to be our choice. Our choice can be to get profits out of health care. We should not give the corporations an inch in this battle. When the dust settles, we may have to compromise, but up-front we should argue for exactly what we want, and not start to compromise before the debate begins.
Peace, Terry J. DuBose
TerryDuBose@sbcglobal.net