To: The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Donald Trump
Do we Choose Healthcare for all or ignore the US Constitution and face a moral hazard?
Providing healthcare for all is good governance but leaving out 6% of the population is a moral hazard
Why is this important?
Do we Choose Healthcare for all or ignore the US Constitution and face a moral hazard?
Healthcare for all was clearly stated in the United States Constitution. Without healthcare for all it is not possible,
“…to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity….”
According to CDC, approximately 311 million US citizens out of 330 million participate in a single payer government health insurance scheme and an employer taxpayer subsidized scheme. Here is the breakdown:
• Approximately 70 million are recipients of a single payer combined Medicaid and SCHIP program.
• Approximately 44 million are recipients of a single payer Medicare program and that number is expected to increase to 80 million by 2030.
• Approximately 22 million veterans and civilian families qualify for single payer VA benefits.
• Approximately 175 million Americans participate in employer taxpayer subsidized health insurance.
Who is left out? (330 – 175 – 22 – 44 – 70) = 19 million. In other words, while we have a near universal medical insurance coverage, 6 percent of the US population falls between the cracks. We can do better.
When we mention health care for all based on a single payer scheme or Medicare for all, we are labeled socialist. What is in a name? Let us have a no name brand but cover everyone. In other words, whom do you want to leave out? Who doesn’t get sick? Who does not have a preexisting medical condition? All of us get sick, all of us need medicine and almost all of us have minor accidents. If one breaks a finger it needs treatment, which becomes a preexisting medical condition later.
Since all of us need good quality health care because we cannot predict how and when we get sick, it is no-brainer that a rational health care system in our country should be to provide quality care for everyone in a cost-effective way. To paraphrase President Obama, when it comes to illnesses there are no red and blue states but only the United States. Republicans, Democrats, those registered unaffiliated and those adults who chose not to register get sick. Those who live under the jurisdiction of states regardless of their background need health care. It is not good enough to say, they can always visit emergency rooms. Yes, they can but if we all have preventive healthcare services we will not use the emergency room as often or for chronic conditions. Emergency rooms should be reserved for emergencies.
Providing healthcare for all has nothing to do with socialism but attaching health insurance benefits to employments, was the biggest mistake the country has made, which stopped us from having a healthcare system that does not leave out 6% of the population. Providing healthcare for all is good governance and is the duty of our governments: local, state and national.
Our system not only leaves out approximately 20 million people but it also leaves the country behind 37 countries in good health and longevity. The United States’ current average life expectancy is age 79 and decreasing. As of 2018, the United States is ranked number 26 among OECD member countries and number 38 globally but we are still the richest country in the world. Countries ahead of the United States in life expectancy are 28 Western European nations as well as 10 other countries: Japan, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Chile, Slovenia and Costa Rica - ranging in life expectancy from age 80-84 in reverse order, Japan ranked number one in the world at age 84 and increasing.
Our legislatures have health insurance for life and 311 million of us also have health insurance. But, we the people must speak up when we notice injustice so that we, “…form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility….”
According to CDC, 1 in 10 of the US population is diabetic and approximately 85 million are pre-diabetic but only 11 percent of them know about it. Universal access to health insurance provides preventive care services and saves millions of lives and billions in healthcare related direct and indirect costs. Furthermore, lack of incentive to guard against risk where one is protected from its consequences is the dictionary definition of ‘a moral hazard’ and the absence of good governance. We can do better.
Thank you,
Healthcare for all was clearly stated in the United States Constitution. Without healthcare for all it is not possible,
“…to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity….”
According to CDC, approximately 311 million US citizens out of 330 million participate in a single payer government health insurance scheme and an employer taxpayer subsidized scheme. Here is the breakdown:
• Approximately 70 million are recipients of a single payer combined Medicaid and SCHIP program.
• Approximately 44 million are recipients of a single payer Medicare program and that number is expected to increase to 80 million by 2030.
• Approximately 22 million veterans and civilian families qualify for single payer VA benefits.
• Approximately 175 million Americans participate in employer taxpayer subsidized health insurance.
Who is left out? (330 – 175 – 22 – 44 – 70) = 19 million. In other words, while we have a near universal medical insurance coverage, 6 percent of the US population falls between the cracks. We can do better.
When we mention health care for all based on a single payer scheme or Medicare for all, we are labeled socialist. What is in a name? Let us have a no name brand but cover everyone. In other words, whom do you want to leave out? Who doesn’t get sick? Who does not have a preexisting medical condition? All of us get sick, all of us need medicine and almost all of us have minor accidents. If one breaks a finger it needs treatment, which becomes a preexisting medical condition later.
Since all of us need good quality health care because we cannot predict how and when we get sick, it is no-brainer that a rational health care system in our country should be to provide quality care for everyone in a cost-effective way. To paraphrase President Obama, when it comes to illnesses there are no red and blue states but only the United States. Republicans, Democrats, those registered unaffiliated and those adults who chose not to register get sick. Those who live under the jurisdiction of states regardless of their background need health care. It is not good enough to say, they can always visit emergency rooms. Yes, they can but if we all have preventive healthcare services we will not use the emergency room as often or for chronic conditions. Emergency rooms should be reserved for emergencies.
Providing healthcare for all has nothing to do with socialism but attaching health insurance benefits to employments, was the biggest mistake the country has made, which stopped us from having a healthcare system that does not leave out 6% of the population. Providing healthcare for all is good governance and is the duty of our governments: local, state and national.
Our system not only leaves out approximately 20 million people but it also leaves the country behind 37 countries in good health and longevity. The United States’ current average life expectancy is age 79 and decreasing. As of 2018, the United States is ranked number 26 among OECD member countries and number 38 globally but we are still the richest country in the world. Countries ahead of the United States in life expectancy are 28 Western European nations as well as 10 other countries: Japan, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Chile, Slovenia and Costa Rica - ranging in life expectancy from age 80-84 in reverse order, Japan ranked number one in the world at age 84 and increasing.
Our legislatures have health insurance for life and 311 million of us also have health insurance. But, we the people must speak up when we notice injustice so that we, “…form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility….”
According to CDC, 1 in 10 of the US population is diabetic and approximately 85 million are pre-diabetic but only 11 percent of them know about it. Universal access to health insurance provides preventive care services and saves millions of lives and billions in healthcare related direct and indirect costs. Furthermore, lack of incentive to guard against risk where one is protected from its consequences is the dictionary definition of ‘a moral hazard’ and the absence of good governance. We can do better.
Thank you,