physicians for a national health program (pnhp) vision for national health insurance in the united...

Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)

Vision forNational Health Insurance

in the United States

David Apsey, DDSPNHP Michigan Speakers Bureau

drdavid2450@yahoo.com

Vermont Medical Students Support State Single Payer Health Care

• Posted on: Friday, March 25, 2011 Med Students Rally For Vermont Single Payer System

• By Rachel ZimmermanCommonhealth blog, WBUR.org, March 24, 2011

• Medical students from Vermont and neighboring states are heading to Montpelier this weekend to rally in support of a publicly-funded, single payer health system for the Green Mountain state.

• A press release from the group, Physicians for a National Health Program, quotes Harvard Medical student Jonathan Takahashi on why he supports the plan:

• “Through my training in medicine and public health thus far, I have seen firsthand how much the current lack of a unified and equitable health care system is a stumbling block in doing the work I care about. This is why action to improve health care, through measures such as implementing a single-payer financing system, is important to me.”

• Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vt., both of whom have been outspoken advocates of single-payer reform, are scheduled to speak at the 1 pm rally Saturday at the Vermont Statehouse.

How does U.S. health care compare with other countries?

• We provide the same medical care. • We use the same medical technology.• In contrast:• 15% of our population is uninsured.• 60% are covered with private health insurance – a

global anomaly.• 25% have public health coverage.• We spend 70% more than the OECD average.

Number of Uninsured Americans (Millions)

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

45

40

35

30

25

20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Rising Number of uninsured

Hospitals Try Free Basic Care for Uninsured By Erik Eckholm Published: NYT October 25, 2006

US Health Costs Rise Faster than Other Countries

Source: Health United States 2005, Natl. Center for Health Statistics

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1960 1970 1980 1990 1995 2000 2004

Hea

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Co

sts

as

Per

cen

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f G

NP US

Canada

France

Germany

Japan

UK

Employers’ Health Benefit Costs US vs. Canada

HOW DO WE SOLVE OUR HEALTH CARE

DILEMMA?

The Medicare Program

Medicare is a single payer non-profit public health service managed at 3% overhead that performs as follows:

• Pays for comprehensive health services

• Covers more than 40 million people

• Offers free choice of doctors and hospitals

House Bill HR 676 “The US National Health

Insurance Act”• Proposes to:• Expand Medicare to cover all US

inhabitants• Improve the coverage it offers• Eliminate private insurance

11

Features of a Single PayerHealthcare System under

HR676

Everyone will be included Public Accountability Hundreds of billions in

administrative cost savings The system will be the largest

job creator since the GI Bill

PHYSICIANS FOR A NATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM (PNHP) says:

How do we achieve “Medicare for All” ?We need YOU! - the community leaders to work

with us in the political arena to change the laws regulating health care coverage. This change

can only be made when the pen of our President signs HR676 into law.

Let’s do it!

RESOURCES• Physicians for a National Health Program

(PNHP) www.pnhp.org• PNHP New York Metro Chapter

www.pnhpnyc.org.• Rekindling Reform

www.rekindlingreform.org• HealthCare-NOW www.healthcare-

NOW.org• Citizens Health Care Working Group (US

govt) www.citizenshealthcare.gov