by Steve Janusz
Why Reform
47 million not insured, 9 million are children
374,000 Minnesotans are uninsured
70% are employed
50% are employed in small businesses
In 2005, per capita health care expense was $6401 for Americans compared to an average of $3114 in 30 industrial nations in the Organization for Cooperation and Development
The cost of health insurance from 2002 until 2007 increased 78% while the inflation rate increased by 17%
Health care is a human right, not a for-profit commodity (business)
World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked the United States 37th in quality and fairness
Cost (% of gross domestic production spent on health care compared to other countries):
USA 15.3
Switzerland 11.6
Germany 10.7
UK 8.3
Japan 8
We each have our own health stories.
Health Care Models (suggested by T.R. Reid - see Resources below* )
1. Beveridge - health care is provided and financed by the government through tax payments, just like the police force or the public library
total government control
Great Britain, Spain, most of Scandinavia, Cuba
2. Bismarck - financed jointly by employers and employees through payroll deduction, but health insurance plans have to cover everybody, and they don't make a profit
doctors and hospitals tend to be private
Germany, France, Japan, Switzerland
3. National Health Insurance - private-sector providers, but payment comes from a government-run insurance program that every citizen pays into
Canada, Taiwan
4. Out-of-Pocket -
rich get medical care
poor stay sick or die
United States Fragmented Model - uses parts of all 4 of preceding models
veterans use the Beveridge model
people over 65 have the 3rd model (Medicare)
working Americans have the 2nd model without controls
people with no insurance number 4 model
Resources
Books:
“The Health Care Mess” by Kip Sullivan 2006
“Supercapitalism” by Robert B. Reich 2007
Videos:
PBS Frontline program “Sick around the World” by T. R. Reid*
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/
Charlie Rose’s interview of T. R. Reid
http://www.visionandvoice.org/?page_id=28
Web Sites:
Minnesota Health Plan Web Site
http://mnhealthplan.org
Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition
http://www.muhcc.org
Greater Minnesota Health Care Coalition
http://www.gmhcc.org/
Physicians for a National Health Program
http://www.pnhp.org/
The Commonwealth Fund
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/
Resolution by U.S. Conference of Mayors 6/24/2008
http://usmayors.org/resolutions/76th_conference/chhs_03.asp
Debating the Road to Universal Coverage
http://takingnote.tcf.org/2008/04/debating-the-ro.html
Consumer Voices for Coverage
http://www.communitycatalyst.org/projects?id=0006
New York State Assembly resolution on health care reform
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200806130332/OPINION03/806130355
Minnesota 2020 article on a small business and health care
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BD68BED35-C9AD-4BDD-9FD9-A52989E3B39B%7D
American Journal of Medicine commentary on National Health Insurance
http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(08)00246-5/fulltext
MN Department of Human Services summary of 2008 Health Care Reform legislation
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/opa/08reformsummary.html
