I believe that the so-called “Health Care Reform” bill does not go nearly far enough either in increasing access to health care or controlling costs. I believe that access to health care is a basic inalienable human right. Without this right, there can be no right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” - rights our nation was founded on.
Our current health care system is the Most Expensive and Least Effective health care system in the world. Thousands of people in our country are needlessly killed every year just because they lost their job and lost their health insurance. Thousands more lose their homes and life savings just to pay for a sudden illness.
The only way to expand coverage to everyone and control costs is through universal health care, also known as a Single Payer system – similar to what is offered in Canada and nearly every other civilized country in the world. I am therefore honored to take the “Medicare for All” Pledge created by Dr. Quentin Young. Dr. Young has for many years been one of our nation’s foremost advocates for Universal Health Care. I am proud to support his call for true health care reform. The following is a letter I received from Dr. Young describing the Pledge:
June 25, 2010
Dear Mr. Cramer,
As promised, I am sending the Medicare for All Pledge…
Pledge to Support Medicare for All:
“I support expanding and improving our nation’s popular Medicare program to include all people in America. Our current patchwork of private profit-driven insurance companies will be replaced with a streamlined financing mechanism that will redirect over $400 billion annually that is currently lost to paperwork and administration. These billions would finance health care for all the nation’s 46 million uninsured. Health care is a human right, and health care coverage should be a public good, not a private commodity. “
Regards, Quentin Young, MD
I believe in Medicare for All. It is time to stop allowing Wall Street to kill people just so greedy corporate executives can make billions in undeserved profits.
Sincerely,
Tom Cramer, Democratic candidate for Congress, Washington State 8th Congressional District