The ONLY Single-Payer Plan Proposed in the Senate

We all know that Max Baucus kept single-payer advocates from testifying at his hearing. It turns out that not even Ted Kennedy mentions single payer in his plan (not yet submitted).

We all know that 60% of the American public favors single payer.

We all know that the insurance and pharmaceutical companies are spending hundreds of millions of lobby dollars to keep the "government option" from providing any significant benefit or competition to the status quo.

One Senator, Bernie Sanders, is actively promoting single payer. You can read his message and watch a brief video here. If you so choose, you can sign his petition:

http://sanders.senate.gov/petitions/index.cfm?uid=7fd59f2e-88e1-477a-8ea...

There are a few major issues to be resolved before single payer can be adopted:

1. The insurance company employees who will be displaced must have a federal program to help them find other work. Otherwise, they will fight against single-payer.

2. The public must be educated in more detail about what the other OECD countries are doing to beat the pants off U.S. health care, with lower cost and better outcomes. Otherwise, the industry fear-mongering will win. Obama is tip-toeing through industry and the AMA to minimize antagonism. Understandable. So have somebody like the OMB or the GAO put out the info in easy-to-understand format. Don't point people to OECD; they'll give up before they read it all.

3. Last but not least, politicians must not be indebted to industry for campaign funds. Can anyone say "campaign finance reform?"

Bob May