Socialized Health Care: Why Not?

Last week, after watching this segment on Democracy Now!, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the forward-thinking approach of newly-elected Vermont governor Peter Shumlin. Check it out:



This single-payer architecture that Shumlin is pushing for is essentially the type of health care system in place in most of Europe and in Canada, in various incarnations. But talk of a 'single-payer' system has been effectively locked out of the debate both on Capitol Hill and in the major news media. It was never 'on the table' when the congress was debating Obama's health care bill to begin with. The debate is limited by and, thus, controlled by those on the right and far-right and the congress and the major news media organizations all land somewhat to the right of the American population, though they would insist vehemently otherwise.

Perhaps it's the "culture of medicine" that is the root of the problem, as my step-father, an ER doctor working in Indiana, has suggested. How do we change that? It's not going to change on its own. What, other than legislation, can effectively move the "culture of medicine" in the right direction?

I think the first and obvious step is relatively simple. Perhaps not easy, due to the immense power of the health insurance and pharmaceutical industry lobbies, but simple nonetheless: remove insurance company profits from the equation. In other words, every health care dollar would go towards health care, rather than being divvied up between health care and profits for insurance companies. This would make the health care system cheaper and more efficient, while simultaneously improving the quality of care across the board.

You will get those on the right, and even in the center and center-left, who will cry 'socialism.' Those who will say that this goes against the free market values of this country. But we must remember that public schools, police forces, and firefighters, among others, are already socialized and have been for as long as we can remember. These organizations don't operate with the purpose of turning a profit and answering to shareholders-- they operate with the purpose of providing a service for citizens. As it should be too for health care, without a shadow of a doubt.