Webcast report: Single Payer System - our thoughts.

Our likes:
- Guaranteed coverage for all, affordable for all.
- One common fund, we're all in the same pool.
- Gets everyone in the umbrella.

Concerns:
- Existing and former office holders not be a part of it – so that politicians are really in it for the people.
- No provision for rising pharm costs – how to deal with research costs, etc.
- Government bureaucrats making health care decisions is frightening; look at the bridge that just collapsed. Our infrastructure is falling apart; why turn over control of health care to politicians?
- The issue of wellness – collectively, if we buy wellness intervention, then we will have a genuine way to allow people to come together as the cost of the system will be controlled.
Wellness and prevention are the key component to cost containment. People are rushing around now; we rely on ER for health care – but the organizational change will force a paradigm shift towards slower health care that emphasizes wellness and prevention.
- Perhaps a quasi public/private cooperation is the way to go – use the existing bureacrary and offer incentives to insurance companies to provide good service. Performance drives rewards.

Under what conditions would you support this:
- Accountability – this is the key concern with a government agency. There needs to be something in place to ensure this.
- Limited number of layers in decision making – needs to be simple.

All day, the discussion has been about a lack of trust with insurance companies. Doctors need to make decisions, not administrators, and not have to fight for treatment and/or services. Care needs to be more physician directed, not insurance company-directed, with some accountability and checks and balances on their actions. Multiple billings and fraud needs to be avoided.