Advertisement
The first myth is that a single-payer health care, or universal health care, whatever you want to call it, means “socialism.” All modern, developed countries, except the United States, do offer some sort of universal health care to their citizens. Does it mean that all countries, except the United States, are socialist?
The second myth is that in the U.S., we are free to choose our health care providers and our health maintenance policies. Not so.
My insurance company will decide for me who my doctor will be, whom I can be referred to if I need to see a specialist. My insurance company will even decide which medicine will be covered or not. Insurance companies also decide whom to insure if there is a “pre-existing condition.” So much for “freedom of choice.”
A third myth is that health care in this country is the best in the world. Well, according to any statistics the U.S. ranks 30th and lower for the overall health of its citizens. Particularly bad are the statistics concerning the infant mortality and prenatal care compared with most countries, including some third-world countries.
Several of my friends who are not lucky enough to be in good health or to be insured through their employers, have seen their health condition gravely deteriorate, either because they could not afford outrageously expensive doctors, hospitals and medicines, or because, besides worrying about their health, they had to worry about their finances and how to hold on to their houses and their life savings.
To any one interested, I strongly recommend John E. Murray’s book, “Origins of the American Health Insurance” (Yale University Press).
|
More Letters: |
