So all of the Democratic candidates have plans for some sort of wider health care system. It’s about time. America is still the richest country in the world, yet we are only fourteenth (or even lower by some measures) in health and lifespan of our population. The only thing we score number one in is per capita cost of providing health care ($6,096 per person in 2004 compared to the 12th place holder, Canada at $3,173, almost half what we pay). Is this the great achievement of our free market health care system?

No.

I mean, what free market? It’s not like the consumers of the service get much choice. The majority of us can only afford the one or two options offered by our employer. Somehow, the health insurance industry has cut us out of the market and now they only have to market themselves to other companies. Special options may be available to individual employees under the plan, but who can afford them, let alone trust them?

Which brings up the other problem. An insurance company in charge of my health? When our car was stolen and totaled, GEICO lowballed the replacement cost by 50%. It took some determined negotiation to get them to give us a fair settlement. Thank heavens that I did not have to go farther than writing a few letters, researching selling costs of the same vehicle on second hand websites, and faxing every maintenance record we owned to the adjuster. But imagine if, when I needed heart surgery, I had to fax proof of every cardioclub workout, doctor checkup, and hearthealthy meal I ever ate?

Wait a minute! That sounds familiar.

Sigh. I am fairly convinced that the defining factor of American Style Health care is the private health insurance system. Health insurance companies are the ultimate middle man — between your employer, who pays most of your premium, and your doctor, who charges for services — and also between your doctor and the treatments that might be best for you. Why do we allow insurance companies this power over our live? We know they’re job is to take in as much as possible and put out as little as possible. They sit like pulsing tumors sucking up our vital fluids and impairing the health of our nation.

Let’s excise them.

Remember those 13 other developed nations that have better, cheaper health care systems than ours? They all have single payer systems. The Canadian government (ie taxpayer) pays $3,173 per person each year to provide universal health care. Keep in mind that of the $6,096 per person we pay in the US, our government already pays about half, $3,000, from our tax dollars while we and our employers pay the rest out of pocket.

WTF!  If we did it the Canadian way, we would not even have to increase governement spending! And let’s not compare with Sweden or Japan at the top of the list, who spend no more tax dollars than Canada.

A universal system eliminates the profit percentage from the cost of health care as well as saving more because they don’t duplicate hundreds of bureaucracies processing claims. Finally, in a universal system, your doctor is free to prescribe and arrange the treatment you need, without consulting an accountant.

Only one Democratic candidate for president favors a single payer system. All the rest want to find a way to keep the insurance companies feeding at the trough. Which candidate would you support?

Check this link to find out how you line up with the candidates on the issues.

Presidential Candidate Selector