Ideas to push priority issues has been made more difficult in this political climate. However I received an email today from a member of the Universalist Church that lives up to its name that puts forward a proposal to develop a single payer system. The writer is distributing the message through members of the church, and asking them to pass it on. Many who belong to the church are progressive activists.
They are looking to broaden the chain of taking on more supporters. The proposal is here.
The email also had the accompanying message:
“Hello,
My name is Colette LaPointe. I am an UU member, currently at a parish in Brooklyn, NY, though I have been to several parishes throughout New England. I started a petition about exploring a new path to single-payer healthcare, and I’m passing it along to UU parishes. If you want to include it in a newsletter or however you see fit, I would much appreciate it. Thank you for your time!”
With some hard work and communication this has the smell of success to me.
1. It includes a near majority of the US.
2. It could be public or non profit private insurer with a central collection of premiums and payouts.
3. Subsidies may be possible from the government, but is not critical.
4. Premiums would be according to income, not some underwriting number a insurer picks out.
5. All comers are eligible and receive the same comprehensive coverage without co-pays or deductible.
6. The “Blue States” are also the most prosperous, and, for a start, could cover the cost of care.
7. It fits in with the present GOP notion of having insurance “cross state lines”.
8. It is coming from a group of activists whose church is non denominational and embraces the positive side of our humanity.
9. Taking health care out of state budgets at a savings to its subscribers would free up revenue for other priorities such as education, housing, and transportation.
10. Plans like this already exist in Germany and Switzerland.
11. Costs usually hover around 8 to 10% of income, but could be adjusted according to what would be covered such as dental care and nursing homes(this is already covered over 60% by Medicaid). What’s covered is not a mainstay of any plan, but what people are willing to pay to get prompt care.
12. Subsidies for lower income earners TBD. Private insurers pay 3% to the state now to cover such citizens plus what they receive as part of the ACA.
13. Hospitals will be budgeted stopping redundant and more costly care as revenue for operation is assured.
14. Present insurers do not have their roots in private enterprise, but were started with seed money and loans to start HMOs in 1973, if a better mousetrap shows up, they should be ready to lend a hand.
I will be at the PDM Convention this Spring to go over single payer in more detail, I’m calling it “Single Payer, Let’s Talk”:
Saturday, April 22nd, 2017 at 9am – 3:30pm
Location: Carpenter’s Union Training Center, 13 Holman Road, Millbury MA 01527
