Chapter Resolution
Physicians for a National Health Program – South Carolina Chapter
Resolution to support single payer reform
(including HR 676 in the U.S. House of Representatives)
We, as physicians, other health care providers, and health consumers, believe all persons deserve access to high-quality healthcare. This should be accomplished through a single-payer system of national health insurance. As taxpayers, we support a system that spends our money on patient care, not administrative waste.
A non-profit single-payer system assures universal coverage of all medically necessary services, while containing costs by minimizing bureaucracy.
- The number of Americans without health insurance now exceeds 48 million (2012 estimate).
- Tens of millions with insurance have coverage so inadequate that a major illness will lead to financial ruin.
- Movements toward high deductible plans and health savings accounts worsen this situation by penalizing the sick and discouraging timely care.
- Managed care and other market-based reforms have failed to contain costs.
- American providers bear unnecessarily increased administrative costs by dealing with over one thousand insurers.
- The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates the savings from converting to a single-payer system at over 10% of current health spending (or $400 billion in 2010) - enough to cover the uninsured and improve coverage for all.
- Entrusting care to insurance companies diverts billions from health care to administrative waste in the form of marketing, underwriting and excessive profits.
By maintaining a privately delivered but publicly funded system, HR 676 protects the doctor-patient relationship, assures patients free choice of doctors, and allow physicians free choice of practice settings.
Therefore we support the South Carolina Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program in its efforts to advocate for single-payer reform, including supporting the goals of HR 676.
Sign the Resolution
Please join the South Carolina Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program in calling for national single payer health care as embodied by the goals of HR 676!