Single Payer Thoughts

A single payer system would insure every citizen in the U.S. free health care provided by the National Government. Critics point to Socialism, high taxes, wasteful government bureaucracy and the demise of private insurance companies as reasons not to institute such a program. Opponents claim single payer systems in Canada, the UK and other Western European countries are failures. Billions, if not trillions, of dollars have been spent each year by private businesses and industries large and small to cover employees through private plans. A single payer system, it seems to me, would free up huge sums of this money in the private sector for businesses to use for product development and employee wage increases. Is it feasible that tax increases to pay for a single payer system would be offset by higher wages and profitability in the private sector? Citizens have been warned by certain congressmen that single payer plans would never work in this country. Many of these congressmen repeat verbatim the same talking points put forth by the Insurance Lobby. What is wrong with guaranteeing every American free Health Care in this country if it can be done in an affordable manner? Insurance companies have a huge stake in keeping the current system intact and have the money to influence legislation. Many in the medical professions fear a reduction in their income due to government provided Health Care and may side with private insurers in this debate. The biggest losers in the current system are individuals who lose health coverage or pay exorbitant premiums because employers can no longer afford to offer benefits. The current pending legislation that places a public option as competition with private plans is only a start. A single payer system should be the ultimate goal for our elected officials concerning health care.