Hidden agendas regarding health care

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mhkirschnermd@aol.com

Health Care America, the hidden agenda. I Wrote this Op/Ed peice in order to call attention to the fact that most people who favor single payer without an unspoken agenda are those who have no hidden hidden agenda. For most others it's profits ahead of health care. This is not how it should be. Yes, there are those who will cheat and game the system, but they are doing that now and always will. I'm delighted with the fact that most patients now want single payer, but over 50% of doctors now favor it. Read my reaction to the AMA's stance in an earlier letter. Their members (including me) represent only 25% of practicing doctors and the numbers are dropping.
From:	mhkirschnermd@aol.com
To:	letters@nytimes/opedsubmit.com
Date:	Thu, Jun 18, 2009 9:19 pm

To N Y Times Op/Ed
Over 50% of the population and caregivers of the United States are in favor of single-payer health care. They have no hidden agendas. They are aware that Medicare, a single-payer system for the seniors age 65 and older, has been successful. The senior population is the sickest segment of our population and requires the most care. Since the creation of the Medicare program our seniors are in better health and living longer.
It’s clearly evident that all those who oppose the single payer system, or even a public health care option, have a hidden agenda. This may be reduced profit and executive salaries for the for-profit private health insurance companies who are well aware that they can’t compete with a public health care option. They keep inventing and loudly publicizing reasons why single-payer is a bad choice. They point out long delays for care in Counties that have health care for all. This is only true for elective procedures and things of the kind. Urgent or emergent illnesses are treated promptly and the patient isn’t facing bankruptcy because of what it cost.
The private, for-profit insurers frighten patients by claiming that a public plan would not cover many procedures and treatments. They are careful not to mention private plan practices such as rescission, retroactive denials, the multiple differences in rules and coverage from pla
n to plan, plus the limitation of hospitals, doctors and other providers who will accept the plan as the payer. Medicare has one set of rules, almost everyone is eligible for coverage, most providers accept Medicare fees and no one is permitted to charge more than Medicare allows.
Those who oppose single-payer complain that single payer will cost trillions of dollars, especially if everyone is covered. The seniors are the sickest and most expensive patients in our Country. If the entire under age 65 people in our Country were covered, the cost of their care would probably not equal what we are spending for the seniors alone.
Taking all of these so-called facts into account, it becomes obvious which group has a hidden agenda that causes them to say almost anything to prevent a single payer or public health care option. It’s Profits ahead of health.
Melvin H Kirschner, MPH, MD

Dr. Kirschner is a retired Family physician. He still volunteers for numerous health related community programs and several biomedical ethics committees.