I heard a moving presentation by Assemblyman Gottfried who is introducing a single payer system in New York —- assuring access to healthcare for all New Yorkers.

The sad fact is that many "poor, wretched, desperate people" work or had worked for years and have no insurance. And there are many people with insurance who still can't afford care because they can't find docs who will take their insurance or can't afford the deductible and co-[ays. Mine is not a political screed either. I spent quite some time working on this in DC and both parties are to blame and too many people think it can never happen to them - that it is someone else's problem. Sad.

Thank you for this, and indeed it is not and should not be perceived to be a political issue. I hope whatever sent you to urgent care has passed and you are all well.

Obviously our health care system is broken.....while we're waiting for our government to open and start concentrating on REAL issues.

What’s going on...

The cost of health care and insurance is prohibitively expensive. The price of insurance I get through the AHCA rises yearly; and each year I re-evaluate and change my insurance. Unfortunately, this typically means changing doctors each year; which, if I had health issues wouldn't be good because each year my doctor would be starting with me from scratch. My plan is to do every thing I can to stay as healthy as possible as long as possible. It will be better for both my body and wallet in the long run.

Our healthcare system is a mess and unfortunately and likely not going to fixed anytime soon. It definitely pays to stay in shape, eat healthy and avoid stress if possible.

I work in that arena providing virtual ER care for the very populations that need us most.

You can’t dance around the politics. But you can try . Big Pharma . Congress. Big Medicine . Lobbyists . HMO’s . Insurance companies . Regulatory agencies . Malpractice . The blame game goes on forever . It’s a debate that falls in the category of the climate change realm of complicated . The almighty dollar and the all mighty bottom line drives the impasse . We live in an ultra capitalist nation run by ultra capital interests . Key West certainly cannot be equated to middle America but your tongue in cheek message is loud and clear . The Amerirican Medical Association is certainly not gonna let anyone off the hook . Either is the CDC . The term BILLABLE HOURS is not just for the legal profession . Although I’m sure the lawyers got their hands over everything medical . The overhead is enormous . The fix ? Don’t hold your breath! Keep going to the gym . Take preventative medicine seriously . Hydrate . Eat as many prime rib dinners as you can a week. Remember that Pork Fat Rules !

Hollander Sends

I wrote on this numerous times. I did a three parter in 2015.

from the opening para of the first:
"Single payer health care makes so much sense. I researched the funding angles as a law student; my findings surprised me then (probably would not today): the existing government spending and tax expenditures covers the costs. Clearly what we know as Obamacare stands forth as a compromise – one undeserving of the attacks from opponents who probably cringe at any mention, let alone prospect of single payer. For one I always viewed the Affordable Care Act as but a step towards single payer, knowing politics rather than the (dollar) numbers, impeded a sound national health care plan."

from the opening of the last piece:
"Research on national health care found that medical tax
deductions and other federal health spending could fund universal
health care; that premise continues to hold true today."

Below find the links to each in reverse chronological order:

http://coreybearak.com/blogs/2015-01-27_ATU_advocates_Single-Payer_Part_Three_of_Three.pdf

http://tiny.cc/rllusx

http://coreybearak.com/blogs/2014-12-17_ATU_advocates_Single-Payer_Part_One_of_Three.pdf

And referring back to Ben's initial comment to this blog above, the three- piece commentary followed developing testimony a client presented in support of Dick Gottfied's NY Single Payer bill: http://coreybearak.com/projects/consulting/2014-12-16_Assembly_Single-Payer_hearing-1179.pdf

I’m exhausted...

I see this from both ends of the spectrum. I pay for the health insurance for my family, and the expense is exorbitant. Then, my husband is a health care provider and I see what the insurance companies pay him and its minimal. There has to be a better system.