Krugman: Health Care Excuses

This is one to file -- as Paul Krugman says you're going to hear the excuses "again, and again, and again". Be ready to refute health care profiteers , with some help from Paul.

Health Care Excuses
by Paul Krugman
published [in the New York Times]: Nov. 9, 2007

The United States spends far more on health care per person than any other nation. Yet we have lower life expectancy than most other rich countries. Furthermore, every other advanced country provides all its citizens with health insurance; only in America is a large fraction of the population uninsured or underinsured.

You might think that these facts would make the case for major reform of America’s health care system — reform that would involve, among other things, learning from other countries’ experience — irrefutable. Instead, however, apologists for the status quo offer a barrage of excuses for our system’s miserable performance.

So I thought it would be useful to offer a catalog of the most commonly heard apologies for American health care, and the reasons they won’t wash.

Excuse No. 1: No insurance, no problem. MORE or MORE

Let's work on getting the healthcare crisis in America resolved and being prepared with facts will help in conversations and when writing letters. Sometimes I include a copy of a well-written article with a note to my legislator(s). It all adds up. Bottom line, the profit motive should not be a factor in providing healing. A good living, fine, but a killing, NO. And don't they keep telling us we're the number one country? (Hello! Well, maybe we are number one in health care cost.) Health care now! Please act: write letters, make phone calls, elect people who will work to see us get good healthcare.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

P.S. I have petitions for JOHN EDWARDS for President - sign mine, fellow New Yorkers, or help! Call 212-229-2029 to assist.