I was entertained by Greg Schackel’s email about taking his tax bill to the post office, expecting it to be postmarked that day and encountering a sign saying that mail received after 3 PM would be postmarked tomorrow (“
However, Mr. Schackel mistakenly continues with a warning for us to “Be careful what you wish for with government-run healthcare.” He expresses a common misconception.
Vested interests are trying to portray single-payer healthcare proposals such as National Improved Medicare for All (NIMA) as a “government-run” system. So, is Medicare government-run? No! NIMA is expanded Medicare. Hospitals and practitioners are still private. Yet it’s better, because all providers are “in network.” You choose any provider, get lifelong comprehensive coverage and save money.
How do you save money? NIMA eliminates the middle man – the insurance industry that harvests your paycheck and burdens doctors and hospitals with needless administrative red tape, while providing zero value. The government will not run NIMA healthcare, but will collect the money it pays to medical providers – most likely from payroll taxes, as Medicare does now so successfully. It will be able to negotiate with drug companies for lower prescription prices.
NIMA will cover everyone, pay 100% of charges with no deductible and have comprehensive dental, vision and drug coverage. All other industrialized countries cover all their citizens for about half of what we spend.
America has a choice.
Philip Riffe
Hesperus
