The State Of The Union: The Truth About Health Care

Could we please clone Dennis?



Dear Friends:

On Tuesday night, President Bush will stand before the Congress and the nation to deliver his annual State of the Union address. While it is expected that the President will address many important issues such as the war in Iraq, the war on terror, the state of our economy and the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, the White House has already indicated that the President will spend a considerable amount of time in his address discussing the state of health care in our nation today.

Despite the President's rosy rhetoric that facts are clear. The state of health care in this nation is in crisis.

Our nation spends approximately $1.7 trillion or 15% of our economy on health care, yet 46 million Americans have no health care coverage at all, and tens of millions more have little or inadequate care. In America today, medical bills account for half of all personal bankruptcies and health insurance premiums for workers have increased by 73%.

On Tuesday, the President is sure to address the fact that health care costs are on the rise and are a danger to current and future economic growth-but what he will not do is address the real problem. The private health insurance market does not work.

The President is likely to promote Association Health Plans (AHP) and Private Health Saving Accounts as the solution to rising health care costs. Do not be fooled. These programs only serve to increase the number of uninsured, raise the cost of health care and lower the quality of care. AHPs and Private Accounts continue to funnel money into the same system that is already failing. The message is: Don't get sick.

Health care should be about patients, not profits. It is time to end health care for profit in this country, and make high-quality health care accessible and affordable to all.

That is why for years I have supported a national health plan that would ensure that all Americans have access to a universal high standard of medical care. Working closely with my colleague, Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, I have co-authored legislation, HR 676, Medicare for All, to provide full health care coverage for every American. This legislation would provide coverage for all medically necessary procedures including dental care, mental health care, long-term care and prescription drug coverage. There would be no co-pays, no premiums and no deductibles.

We are already paying for this level of coverage, we are just not getting it. American taxpayers alone pay almost twice as much per person in health care costs than taxpayers in countries that provide universal health care.

Economists have estimated that a Medicare for All system could be paid for simply by reallocating money that is currently in the system. It would eliminate waste and capture dollars from current inefficiencies. In short, patients would get better care and pay less for it.

The Conyers-Kucinich Bill, HR 676, currently has 62 co-sponsors. I will continue to work on this legislation to ensure everyone can access health coverage, medical care is of a universally high quality, and patients no longer face financial barriers to getting the care they need.

To learn more about this and other issues please visit my website at http://www.kucinich.house.gov. Please continue to stay in touch!


Sincerely

Dennis

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