A Convert to Universal Health Care

As autumn begins, employees across the country are renewing their employer-based health insurance plans, only to find themselves struggling with complicated details, higher premiums, and out-of-pocket expenses. But amidst this chaos, a growing number of Americans, including the author of this piece, are coming to realize that the real health care crisis in the country is not just the uninsured, but also the burden of unpaid medical bills and illness that lead to personal bankruptcies, affecting even those with coverage. In this commentary, a former skeptic of universal health care has become an advocate, proposing a single-payer system that would cover all Americans, similar to the way seniors and poor folks are already covered.

Key Takeaways:

• The author, a former skeptic of universal health care, has become an advocate after studying the situation and realizing that the country's health care crisis goes beyond the uninsured.
• The real health care crisis is unpaid medical bills and illness leading to personal bankruptcies, affecting even those with coverage.
• The current system of employer-based health insurance puts U.S. industry at a disadvantage in global competition, with companies like General Motors Corp. carrying billions in unfunded health benefit costs.
• The author proposes a single-payer system that would cover all Americans, similar to the way seniors and poor folks are already covered, using existing funds from Medicare Part A, Part B, and Medicaid.
• This system would alleviate the burden on employers and help American businesses in the global economy.
• The author suggests using Social Security as a payment method, where all employers and employees contribute to the system, making young Americans feel they have a stake in it.

Statistics:

• 40 million Americans have no medical insurance.
• Half of all personal bankruptcies last year were due to unpaid medical bills and illness, affecting even those with coverage.
• General Motors Corp. carried $5.6 billion in health care costs contributing to its first-quarter loss of $1.1 billion.
• Health benefits for active and retired employees add $1,500 to the price of every car GM makes.
• GM has $63 billion in unfunded health benefit costs.

Sources:

• Brown, Joseph. "A Convert To Universal Health Care" The Tampa Tribune, October 16, 2005.
• Clinton, Bill. Comments on health care reform during his presidency.
• Clinton, Hillary. "Health Security Act" 1,364-page plan for regional health alliances, which the author found convoluted.
• Social Security Administration.
• Medicare Part A and Part B, and Medicaid are mentioned in the article as existing funds used for health care coverage.
• General Motors Corp. financial reports and statements are mentioned in the article as evidence of the burden of health care costs on employers.