The Affordable Care Act Decision

It has always been my opinion that a single-payer, nationalized health program is best for our nation as a whole. But unfortunately, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act corporate compromise was the end result. Personally, because the insurance companies are still left in charge, I don't see our healthcare system changing for the better. It will likely remain business as usual.

According to the Physicians for a National Health Program -

Regardless of whether the Supreme Court upholds or overturns the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in whole or in part, the unfortunate reality is that federal health law of 2010 will not work: (1) it will not achieve universal coverage, as it leaves at least 26 million uninsured, (2) it will not make health care affordable to Americans with insurance, because gaps in their policies will leave them vulnerable to bankruptcy in the event of major illness, and (3) it will not control costs.

Why? Because the ACA perpetuates a dominant role for the private insurance industry. That industry siphons off hundreds of billions of health care dollars annually for overhead, profit and the paperwork it demands from doctors and hospitals; it denies care in order to increase insurers’ bottom line; and it obstructs any serious effort to control costs.

In contrast, a single-payer, improved-Medicare-for-all system would achieve all three goals – truly universal, comprehensive coverage; health security for our patients and their families; and cost control. It would do so by replacing private insurers with a single, nonprofit agency like Medicare that pays all medical bills, streamlines administration, and reins in costs for medications and other supplies through its bargaining clout.


Bill Moyers: Dr. Margaret Flowers on Single-Payer Health Care February 5, 2010.