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Colorado needs to lead the way in health care reform
Alex Stephens
Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: Opinion
America has been long over-due for health care reform.
Many experts, and I myself, agree that national change away from profiteering insurance companies needs to be brought on by individual states that act to set an example for the country. We in Colorado should be the catalyst for that reform.
For those of you that don't know, in the past month we had a cheaper, all-inclusive health care plan within our grasp but lost it by one vote down at the Denver Capitol. House Bill 09-1273, the Colorado Guaranteed Health Care Act, would have done amazing things for the state, and despite what many on the right argue, it would not have been socialism.
Socialized medicine is the system Canada uses, and it is notoriously flawed.
We've all heard the horror stories: Someone's sick relative that's in dire need of treatment died while on the waiting list to see a doctor, patients aren't able to choose their doctors and often receive inadequate treatment while the cost seems inefficient -- or so opponents say.
The proposed system would be infinitely better for several reasons.
While funded by the government, it would be privately delivered, meaning people could still choose their doctors themselves. They wouldn't be told who they can and cannot see, and since more people would have access to it, the range of choices would increase.
Better still, it would cover every Coloradan, especially the 800,000 or more of us who currently are uninsured.
It would be significantly cheaper than the private system of insurance we have now, saving about $1.4 billion, and would be less cumbersome for employers as they would not have to directly provide health insurance for their employees, and instead just contribute to the main fund.
The money would be saved by eliminating the profiteering in overhead and administrative fees that drive our current insurance industry rates. By having one agency, the government, handle the bureaucracy and paperwork of the system, it can be managed much more efficiently.
Many experts, and I myself, agree that national change away from profiteering insurance companies needs to be brought on by individual states that act to set an example for the country. We in Colorado should be the catalyst for that reform.
For those of you that don't know, in the past month we had a cheaper, all-inclusive health care plan within our grasp but lost it by one vote down at the Denver Capitol. House Bill 09-1273, the Colorado Guaranteed Health Care Act, would have done amazing things for the state, and despite what many on the right argue, it would not have been socialism.
Socialized medicine is the system Canada uses, and it is notoriously flawed.
We've all heard the horror stories: Someone's sick relative that's in dire need of treatment died while on the waiting list to see a doctor, patients aren't able to choose their doctors and often receive inadequate treatment while the cost seems inefficient -- or so opponents say.
The proposed system would be infinitely better for several reasons.
While funded by the government, it would be privately delivered, meaning people could still choose their doctors themselves. They wouldn't be told who they can and cannot see, and since more people would have access to it, the range of choices would increase.
Better still, it would cover every Coloradan, especially the 800,000 or more of us who currently are uninsured.
It would be significantly cheaper than the private system of insurance we have now, saving about $1.4 billion, and would be less cumbersome for employers as they would not have to directly provide health insurance for their employees, and instead just contribute to the main fund.
The money would be saved by eliminating the profiteering in overhead and administrative fees that drive our current insurance industry rates. By having one agency, the government, handle the bureaucracy and paperwork of the system, it can be managed much more efficiently.
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 9
Bill Watson
posted 5/08/09 @ 7:29 AM MST
Is this an idea you could agree with.
The entire countries health care nightmare can be ended by creating a VA style National Health Care System option, that would deliver free health care, no insurance, no co pays, free period, for every individual or business, who would choose to use it, and it would save taxpayers a fortune in the process. (Continued…)
jimmy
posted 5/08/09 @ 10:48 AM MST
"The money would be saved by eliminating the profiteering in overhead and administrative fees that drive our current insurance industry rates. By having one agency, the government, handle the bureaucracy and paperwork of the system, it can be managed much more efficiently. (Continued…)
Bill Watson
posted 5/08/09 @ 7:15 PM MST
Jimmy
Start with this link.
The Best Care Anywhere is an article by Phillip Longman that documents how the VA was transformed by Dr. Kizer, into a system that is producing the highest quality health care in the country. (Continued…)
Chunk
posted 5/08/09 @ 8:15 PM MST
I agree with the premise of this article, and here is why:
My family's private health insurance bill just went up by a total of about %35, for reasons I cannot determine. (Continued…)
Author
posted 5/08/09 @ 9:26 PM MST
Jimmy,
I enjoy reading your posts. You put a lot of time into this one and I appreciate other points of view.
Our editor prohibits us writers from engaging in debate on these forums. (Continued…)
Registered Independent
posted 5/09/09 @ 12:26 AM MST
Mr. Stephens,
We don't have a lower "average" life expectancy here in the U.S. because of our medical care. We have the best medical care in the world. (Continued…)
USA
posted 5/09/09 @ 5:10 PM MST
The last post is so right. We need to stop this half baked idea of one government plan.
Employers can contribute to the plan and not provide health benefits for the employees! Why is it an employer's responsibility to do this? There is no law to make them pay and not only this you assume they can pay. (Continued…)
jacob sweeney
posted 5/10/09 @ 8:42 PM MST
singlepayeraction.org
Doctors protest exclusion of single-payer at Senate Finance ...
- 5 days ago
youtube.com
Watch this video on youtube. (Continued…)
Sneed Hearn
Sneed Hearn
posted 5/11/09 @ 5:00 PM MST
If the author is a product of a CSU education then what an embarrassment for the university. This is the expected product of a high school freshman or sophomore. (Continued…)
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