Public Option: San Francisco's Got One And It Works (VIDEO)
Take a look at the city's approach to health care and it's use of the much maligned public option. The Healthy San Francisco program for the uninsured offers care in clinics, covers admissions to hospitals located in the city limits and, two years after it started, the results thus far have been amazing. Hospital admissions of plan members have dropped, and the average stay for those who wind up in the hospital has been cut almost in half.
Of course critics will say such a plan if implemented on a federal level would bankrupt the country. One look at the UC-Berkeley report which shows San Francisco's universal health care program isn't hurting the City's economy would shut down that talk fast (if health care opponents were interested in actual facts). Add the Kaiser Family Foundation report which reveals that participants in the program are largely satisfied with their care and you've got quite an argument that a universal health care program can actually work for the country.
One Democrat who could lead the charge for support of a national public option is Mayor Gavin Newsom who appeared on MSNBC today explaining that San Francisco's plan did not require the city to raise taxes to cover over 75% of the uninsured population. Watch Newsom in the clip below also discussing the possibility of plan similar to Healthy San Francisco going federal.
Originally posted on AirAmerica.com
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Emily Holleman
1_Irritated_Mother
Kerry Lauerman
Joan Walsh
Salon.com
Comments
but simultaneously protecting the profits of insurance companies while preventing the undeserving poor from getting access to health care, that's hard.
america is greedy, selfish, and racist. this limits the amount and nature of 'reform' drastically. on present information, the expensive and ineffective american system will still be expensive and ineffective after 'reform.'
Best idea I've heard lately.
He's white, handsome, and slick, all of which put me off a bit, simply because a lot of young white guys are interested in the status quo, what the office can do for them and people like them.
Bill Clinton has come out in support of Newsom's bid for governor just days ago, although it appears that bad blood between Clinton and Jerry Brown (aka Governor Moonbeam) over an old debate is a primary reason.
"Now tell me why "we" wouldn't want something like this which helps your fellow citizens stay healthy?"
Because it's not the feds job. There are certain things the fed has the power and responsibility to do. This is not one of them.
So tell me the line where the feds should take care of you birth to death and where it should stay the heck out of our business? Please draw me a clear line and remember the Constitution.
Or would you rather leave it up to individuals? Because those few people with the most means are oh so generous with their money, caring for the unfortunate around them. Is that the system you prefer? When you find yourself ill, ask around for handouts?