Our insurance system is broken

By Stefany Brot
Saint Louis Post-Dispatch
June 25, 2009

our insurance system for covering Americans with health care coverage is broken! A better solution offering an expanded and improved Medicare for all is available in the national legislation called H.R. 676 sponsored by Congressman Conyers with 78 Congressional cosponsors. Among the advantages of this health care program are:

1. Every American would be covered; all pre-existing conditions would be covered.
2. You could go to any doctor you want without needing special referrals; doctors would  not be government employees but remain independent.
3. Savings of this plan would go to businesses and our country.
4. For-profit insurance companies would no longer be able to deny an individual’s type of  coverage if medically necessary, while at the same time making huge profits for           the insurance companies.
5. Medical offices would no longer need so many employees to process the dozens of   different insurance forms. Retraining would be provided.
6. All claims would be sent to one place to get paid, possibly called the National Health Care Program (single payer).
7. Companies could compete more fairly without having the price of their products higher due to high insurance claims for employees and retirees.
8. Bankruptcies due to lack of decent health insurance would end.
9. Wellness could be stressed.
10. Medically necessary prescription coverage would be available.

Mandatory insurance modeled after the Massachusetts Plan, has had varying quality based on the cost of individual premiums. H.R, 676 would not make for-profit insurance companies richer but would truly provide health coverage.
 
The model for a national plan exists already in our Medicare system; H.R. 676 would make such coverage even better by including dental care, excellent mental health coverage, and prescriptions.
 
Why should the future of health care coverage be in the hands of a Senator such as Max Baucus who is paid more money from insurance lobbies than any other Democrat?
 
Instead, let’s enact what President Obama promised in his campaign: quality, guaranteed health care coverage for all Americans. H.R. 676 is endorsed by unions, medical societies, city and county governments, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and many religious organizations. Furthermore, I’m proud to have been a Councilmember in University City when the City Council was the first city in the state of Missouri to pass a resolution favoring H.R. 676.
 
Stefany Brot
University City