Solution to healthcare — HR 676 single payer healthcare

The United States has the technology and the money, but its health care ranks 37th in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Insurance companies take 20 – 30 percent of our health dollars and yet give us no health care. Our access to health care is poor; many have to wait a long time and some never can get services because they do not have health insurance.

The insurance companies limit the doctors we can use, the number of visits, and what treatment to use instead of the doctor and patient together deciding about their health care.

The best solution to our health care woes is again in the U.S. Congress. Rep. Conyers (a Democrat serving his 21st term in the House) introduced a bill nine years ago – and every year since – to expand Medicare so that everyone would be covered regardless of employment, income or health.

The measure, called H.R. 676, has 77 co-sponsors and the endorsement of more than 15,000 physicians.

With single payer health care all U.S. residents would show a card and could choose their doctors, dentists, chiropractors, social workers, etc. and get the care without co-pays, deductibles and premiums.

The U.S. government would collect around 2 percent more in taxes from 95 percent of the population (less than what we pay for all these services and medications). The wealthiest people would pay a higher tax rate.

Doctors would be freed to spend more time with their patients rather than hassling with insurance companies, all with different paperwork, and the U.S. could save $400 billion dollars a year by single payer health care.

To find out more about the bill look at www.pnhp.org or www.kyhealthcare.org.

Kentuckians for Single Payer Healthcare will be glad to give free presentations within the Kentuckiana/ Kentucky areas – including showing of the film SICKO and Frontline programs on "Medicare for allâ€ as it is sometimes called.

We need you to bring about the health care in the U.S. that we deserve. Please tell your U.S. representative and senators (the Senate version is SB703) and get your state legislators to endorse single payer healthcare. President Obama needs to hear from citizens at www.whitehouse.gov.

According to an Associated Press report, President Obama said at a meeting in New Mexico that if he were building a health-care system from the ground up, he would favor a single-payer system. But he currently favors improving the existing system because many people are satisfied with it.

Are you satisfied with the way insurance companies dole out denials?  Let him know!