A Death Every 12 Minutes: The Price of Not Having Medicare for All
In 2002, that more than 18,000 Americans between the ages of 19 and 64 were dying each year as a result of being uninsured. The new number is two and a half times that figure.
In 2002, that more than 18,000 Americans between the ages of 19 and 64 were dying each year as a result of being uninsured. The new number is two and a half times that figure.
John Geyman | Posted 11.15.2009 | Politics
Republicans have fought against Medicare from the very beginning. But in their strategy to kill health care reform, they are all of a sudden sounding like defenders of Medicare against the evils of big government.
John Geyman | Posted 11.09.2009 | Politics
Organized medicine has become so fragmented that no one group speaks for the profession. In fact, some groups have endorsed major health care reform.
Rep. Anthony Weiner | Posted 10.23.2009 | Politics
The truth is that the United States already uses single-payer systems to cover over 47% of all medical bills. And these can in turn help us visualize what an actual public plan would look like.
John Geyman | Posted 10.17.2009 | Politics
Likely rewards to the hospital industry from health care reform? If events continue in direction they are now, hospitals will thrive, with more insured people and generous accommodations from government.
John Geyman | Posted 09.25.2009 | Politics
The drug industry's agenda is crystal-clear: expand its markets through wider insurance coverage, avoid price controls, and gain maximal patent protection.
John Marshall | Posted 09.24.2009 | Comedy
Bones: Spock! Do a mind meld with Jim. If anyone can get him out from under the influence of the insurance companies, it's you. You're almost as logical as New York Rep. Anthony Weiner.
John Geyman | Posted 09.20.2009 | Politics
Why this incredible disconnect among our elected representatives shaping the future of one-sixth of our economy and future health care of all 310 million of us?
John Geyman | Posted 09.19.2009 | Politics
Despite some useful provisions, it is wishful thinking to believe that health care "reform", as projected by current proposals being considered in Congress, can actually make health insurance more affordable and make a real difference to people already burdened by their spiraling costs.
John Geyman | Posted 09.17.2009 | Politics
If enacted, exchanges and co-ops offering a small public option will only raise hopes for reform that will never come, and are therefore a cop-out for those shaping this year's reform attempt.
John Geyman | Posted 09.06.2009 | Politics
A recent post at the National Center for Policy Analysis expounded on 10 "surprising facts" about our health care system. The piece cherry picks literature to make a political point.
John Geyman | Posted 09.01.2009 | Politics
What is likely to emerge from Congress on health care reform this year, if anything, will not be real reform and will only add to our problems.
HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 08.31.2009 | Politics
In a largely unnoticed vote late last week, 13 small government-conservatives backed legislation that could facilitate the emergence of major governme...
John Geyman | Posted 08.28.2009 | Living
The initial idea of a public option was premised on the thought that a public plan could bring needed competition into the financing of health care. Forget that dream.
John Geyman | Posted 08.23.2009 | Politics
Mandates have not resulted in universal coverage in any state. They are complex, very expensive, not sustainable, and have unforeseen unintended consequences.
John Geyman | Posted 08.21.2009 | Living
The debate over health care reform is entering a late stage with increasingly bitter partisan differences over very divisive issues.
John Geyman | Posted 08.20.2009 | Living
Since corporate dollars trump individual votes, we have a corpocracy, not a democracy.
John Geyman | Posted 08.16.2009 | Living
Our market-based system breeds costs, not restraint. And none of the various multi-payer proposals being considered in Congress have effective methods to contain health care costs.
Isabel Macdonald | Posted 08.07.2009 | Media
The insurance lobbies and many politicians may not want to talk about single-payer. But that makes it all the more important that the media do.
Abby L. Ferber | Posted 07.24.2009 | Living
Health insurance companies are not in the business of making healthcare easier for us; they are in business.
John Geyman | Posted 07.12.2009 | Politics
While everyone agrees that the soaring costs of health care should be the principal target of reform, the rhetoric and behavior of the stakeholders do not match.
Miles J. Zaremski | Posted 06.12.2009 | Politics
The first question our politicians have to realize when reforming health care is: who will pay for the millions that cannot afford medical care and treatment today? The answer: Uncle Sam.
John Geyman | Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics