Health for US All

Listen to 'Candidates on Medicare's Ticking Clock'

Join me as we listen to Michael D Tanner give a sobering word on directions for Medicare reform:

Cato Daily Podcast Oct 30, 2008

Medicare- Crisis Waiting to Happen- For All?

It's no secret Medicare is in crisis; for the second year in a row, the Social Security trustees declared a "Medicare fund warning"- in short, with the era we are in with baby boomers retiring, Medicare will soon be depleted, putting our Social Security reserves at very high risk.

The new single payer, universal health care proposal is called "Medicare For All"- HR 676- The United States National Health Insurance Act. It all sounds great, except that no one is addressing the fact that Medicare Part A is scheduled to become insolvent by year 2019. The Social Security Trustees have triggered a "Medicare Fund Warning" two consecutive years in a row. We can only hope HR 676 never passes, for if it did, Medicare would become insolvent in the next few years- and take our Social Security with it. And in today's economic times, that is, quite frankly, totally unacceptable.

Millions of Americans seek freedom of choice by combining high quality natural health products and services with some quality mainstream health care. Doesn't that sound more cost effective? Keeping people healthy and preserving freedom of choice. I don't want us to be having this conversation in the next 3 years- what to do when Medicare runs out- let's face it, our economy cannot sustain any more major blows.Ler's choose health- and health freedom- now. 

Health Care Crash?

I posted a response to David Kibbe's blog "Will We Need a Bailout of the U.S. Health Care System Too?

http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2008/09/will-we-need-a.html?cid=133882179#comment-133882179

It seems long overdue that doctors like us lead the way in looking at all the inefficiencies and greed square in the eye, as well as the disparities, in order to clean it up. We are much closer to a health care "crash" than we may want to believe and it's going to take all of us working together to avert it. Friends, let's not wait long.

Health: Right or Responsiblity

I responded to a blog of Maggie Mahar's today on health rights and responsiblities: http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2008/10/is-health-care.html?cid=133880499#comment-133880499

I get all this, however- as a doctor- I am considering the quality of care, or lack thereof, universal care would mean for our patients right now; I strongly advocate for all of us to get past our partisan biases and "clean up" the health care system- and the billions of dollars of excesses and waste- and for the comment from kazumatan, please don't eliminate freedom of choice- and please don't insult our libertarian friends- about health freedom they are 100% correct. In a reformed system there will be more than enough health care for all.

We've Got Work to Do....

A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund revealed that 82% Americans believe the U.S. health care system needs to be fundamentally rebuilt or overhauled.

Yet, what does this mean to Americans?

And what does this mean to you?

If you believe our health care system would benefit from an overhaul, or at least a "face-lift", please help us by sharing your thoughts. If you could include what you need from our health care system and are not getting, that would help alot.

I also think the more specific you can be, the better.

And thanks for taking the time to give us this very important feedback. It's amazing what can be accomplished from a group of concerned citizens- and patients- after all this is our health care system-THANK YOU!

Health Care Today- Bail Out Tomorrow?

When I started writing Health For US All last year, my intention was to propose a model where natural health was readily available for our patients in mainstream medicine.

It took several weeks of research for the glaring truth to jump out at me- our nation's health care system- and Social Security reserves- are poised to evaporate if something does not shift dramatically in our U.S. health care system.

Our spending in our illness based health care system is so extreme - Medicare is poised to become insolvent in ten years or so; at that time, it will start draining our Social Security reserves. And in today's economy, that's something that is simply and totally unacceptable.

What's more, it's totally preventable.

Today we are debating a bail out of our financial markets of $700 billion; and this is unacceptable to many Americans, as voiced by their Congressional representives this week.

How many trillions of dollars will we need to bail out our health care system in under ten years if we don't, as a nation, look these problems square in the eye and make some tough decisions.

How much more are we willing to pay for the treatment of illness?

How much are we going to invest in staying healthy?

I believe these are the issues we need to be discussing openly as the Presidential election draws near. We need to learn the fundamentals and be prepared to make our voices known. After the election, it is with near certainty there will be some major changes proposed to our health care system.

Let's make a commitment: Depleting Social Security- Not An Option!

                                        Bailout: Not An Option!

I will not sit here passively and leave this mess to my children, their children or our future generations. We are Americans; we are resourceful, we know what to do about many things and when we don't we know who to ask.

Friends, we're in this together- I will be sharing my proposed solutions in these next weeks and months and I want to hear your solutions. Together- we can- and must- restore health to our health care system- NOW.