Healthcare Facts

FACTS ABOUT HEALTH CARE

THE PROBLEM:

• Today, there are 46.6 million people without health insurance, and an additional 40 million who are underinsured.
• An estimated 18,000 people die each year due to lack of health insurance.
• 50% of all bankruptcies are attributed to the cost of medical care.
• Health Care administration and paperwork consume 1/3 of every dollar spent on health care.
• The administrative demands of our current system lead to less time and financial resources for patient care.
• The US ranks 37th overall in the world in regards to its health care system.
• The US spends twice as much on health care than any other country.
• Every other industrialized nation assures access to healthcare for all of its citizens.
• Very often, the uninsured are forced to use emergency rooms to obtain health care. This is the most expensive and inefficient way to receive care, and because these people often cannot pay the bill, the hospitals are forced to charge more to those who do have health insurance.
•Our current system of health insurance severely limits a person s choice in providers.
•The price of prescription drugs in the US are often 1/3 to 1/2 MORE compared to costs in Europe and Canada.

In New York City, more than a million people have NO health insurance.

A SOLUTION:

• Single Payer National Health insurance would save enough on administrative paperwork (more than $300 BILLION per year) to provide comprehensive health coverage to EVERYONE.
• Single Payer would restore physician and hospital choice to all Americans.
• A Single Payer National Health Plan would cover all medically necessary services including primary care, inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency care, prescription care, durable medical equipment, long term care, mental health services, dentistry, eye care, chiropractic, and subtance abuse treatments.
• There would be no co-pays and deductibles.
• Single Payer is an expanded and improved Medicare For All.
• Medicare administrative costs are approcimately 3% compared to the 30% of private health insurance costs.
• Care will be privately delivered by doctors and hospitals but publicly financed, with no bills, co-pays, deductibles for patients, denials of payment, or medically induced bankruptcies.