o 46 million Americans lack any health insurance and that even more are underinsured.
o More than 18,000 Americans die every year because they dont have access to a doctor of their own.
o One million Americans will go bankrupt this year because of medically-related debt.
o Despite spending almost twice as much per person we lag far behind many other nations in such health care outcomes as life expectancy, infant mortality and preventable deaths.
o While we have a major shortage in primary care physicians, nurses and dentists, almost one in every three dollars spent in this country on health care goes for administration, bureaucracy and profiteering.
It has become clear that the function of a private health insurance is to make as much money as possible. Every dollar not paid out in claims is another dollar made in profits for the company. Insurance companies spend millions to hire people to do everything they can to avoid paying out legitimate claims, denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and terminating coverage because of high medical bills.
It is no surprise, therefore, that tens of thousands of doctors support a single-payer health care system, as well as the largest nurses unions in the country. These health care professionals do so not just because they are outraged by the lack of coverage Americans experience, but because they are sick and tired of wasting their valuable time arguing with insurance bureaucrats about how they will treat their patients.
In my view, the fight for universal and comprehensive health care is the civil rights battle of our time. Like the other great struggles in our history that have made us a more democratic and just society, victory will require a strong and united grassroots movement that is prepared to take on the very powerful and wealthy special interests that benefit from this failing health care system.
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