[Fwd: National Health Care for the Homeless Policy Symposium]

[Guest guest]

In the interest of cross polinization within the Special Populations

Office at the Bureau of Primary Health Care, I am forwarding this

artilce from Lozier at the Health Care for the Homeless Council to

you. It is a link to an interesting article on the need for a single

payor system. Bobbi RYder

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: National Health Care for the Homeless Policy Symposium

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 16:46:40 -0600

From: Lozier <jlozier@...>

Organizational Members <jlozier@...>, CN Steer Ctte

<jlozier@...>, Staff <jlozier@...>, Hochron

<jhochron@...>

CC: National Organizations <jlozier@...>

From: Jeff Singer <jsinger@...>

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:08:45 -0500

National HCH Council

Subject: National Health Care for the Homeless Policy Symposium

We are pleased to announce that the keynote speaker for the National

Health Care for the Homeless Policy Symposium, in D.C. on June 3, is Dr.

Himmelstein, a founder of Physicians for a National Health Plan,

and perhaps the leading national advocate for universal health insurance

through a single payer model. U. Himmelstein, MD is a professor in

the Department of Medicine, Division of Social and Community Medicine at

Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and is the author of a

plethora of articles in such notable journals as the Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA) and the New England Journal of

Medicine. I have included below a link to editorial that Dr. Himmelstein

was asked to write for JAMA describing the plan for universal health

insurance that has been endorsed by the National Health Care for the

Homeless Council.

Proposal of the Physicians' Working Group for Single-Payer National

Health Insurance

The Physicians' Working Group for Single-Payer National Health

Insurance* <#ACK>

JAMA. 2003;290:798-805.

Sections

—Introduction

—Eligibility and coverage <#SEC1>

—Hospital payment <#SEC2>

—Payment for physicians and... <#SEC3>

—Long-term care <#SEC4>

—Capital spending, health... <#SEC5>

—Medications and supplies <#SEC6>

—Funding <#SEC7>

—Comment <#SEC8>

—Alternatives to nhi <#SEC9>

—Conclusion <#SEC10>

—Author information <#ACK>

—References <#BIBL>

ABSTRACT

The United States spends more than twice as much on health care as the

average of other developed nations, all of which boast universal

coverage. Yet more than 41 million Americans have no health insurance.

Many more are underinsured. Confronted by the rising costs and

capabilities of modern medicine, other nations have chosen national

health insurance (NHI). The United States alone treats health care as a

commodity distributed according to the ability to pay, rather than as a

social service to be distributed according to medical need. In this

market-driven system, insurers and providers compete not so much by

increasing quality or lowering costs, but by avoiding unprofitable

patients and shifting costs back to patients or to other payers. This

creates the paradox of a health care system based on avoiding the sick.

It generates huge administrative costs that, along with profits, divert

resources from clinical care to the demands of business. In addition,

burgeoning satellite businesses, such as consulting firms and marketing

companies, consume an increasing fraction of the health care dollar. We

endorse a fundamental change in US health care—the creation of an NHI

program. Such a program, which in essence would be an expanded and

improved version of traditional Medicare, would cover every American for

all necessary medical care. An NHI program would save at least $200

billion annually (more than enough to cover all of the uninsured) by

eliminating the high overhead and profits of the private, investor-owned

insurance industry and reducing spending for marketing and other

satellite services. Physicians and hospitals would be freed from the

concomitant burdens and expenses of paperwork created by having to deal

with multiple insurers with different rules, often designed to avoid

payment. National health insurance would make it possible to set and

enforce overall spending limits for the health care system, slowing cost

growth over the long run. An NHI program is the only affordable option

for universal, comprehensive coverage.

Back to top

<http://www.healthcareforall.org/jama.html#articletop#articletop>

INTRODUCTION

The US health care system is rich in resources. Hospitals and

sophisticated equipment abound, with even many rural areas boasting

well-equipped facilities. Most physicians and nurses are superbly

trained, and dedication to patients is the norm. Our research output is

prodigious, and we fund health care far more generously than any other

nation.

Yet despite medical abundance, health care is too often meager because

of the irrationality of the current health care system. More than 41

million Americans have no health insurance, including 33% of all

Hispanics, 19% of African Americans and Asians, and 10% of non-Hispanic

whites.1 <#REF-JSC30113-1> Many more, perhaps most of us, are

underinsured. The world's richest health care system is unable to ensure

basics like prenatal care and immunizations, and we trail most of the

developed world on such indicators as infant mortality and life

expectancy. Even the well-insured may find care compromised when health

maintenance organiz

Health Care for the Homeless, Inc. 111 Park Ave Baltimore, MD 21201

410-837-5533 http://www.hchmd.org

We can't do this work alone. During this winter season, please remember

those in need of your help. As we are reminded every day, homelessness

is not permanent. Your gifts make the difference. Donate by mail at 111

Park Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201 or by calling 410/837-5533. Health Care

for the Homeless - See Change.

--

Bobbi Ryder

CEO

National Center for Farmworker Health

1770 FM 967

Buda, TX 78610

512-312-5453 (direct)

512-312-5451 (Assistant, Eckhardt)

512.312.2600 (fax)

http://www.ncfh.org