Kucinich speaks on universal health care at U. Hawaii
Originally published by Insurance NewsNet
Kucinich speaks on universal health care at U. Hawaii
Copyright: Ka Leo O Hawaii via U-WIRE
HONOLULU, Sep 17, 2007 (Ka Leo O Hawaii, U-WIRE via COMTEX) -- Almost 16 percent of Americans do not have health insurance. According to Ah Quon McElrath, a local health care lobbyist, of these 47 million people, college-age students represent the largest group. Today, the United States stands as the only developed nation without national health care.
In response to this issue, a national health care panel was held at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Saturday afternoon. It advocated a universal health care system as a solution to the uninsured population. Keynote speaker for the forum was 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, who is campaigning with universal health care as one of his platforms.
"Half of the bankruptcies in America are tied to people who haven't been able to pay their doctor bills," Kucinich said. "Who wouldn't just give everything they own to repair or rescue the health of a loved one?"
Hawaii State Rep. John Mizuno, Ah Quon McElrath and Fred Dodge, director of the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, joined Kucinich. The four support the passage of universal health care legislation and the end of privatized health care.
In an effort to propagate universal health care, Kucinich is one of many representatives co-sponsoring a universal health care bill. The United States National Healthcare Insurance Act calls for a single-payer health care system, in which medical expenses are paid from a single national fund. Kucinich said the federal government would be the single payer and health coverage would be free. "(Insurance companies) make over 15 percent in administrative costs and profits each year which could be eliminated if we had a single plan," Kucinich said of the bill's proposal to dissolve privatized health care. The bill has been introduced and was most recently referred to the subcommittee on health. It is now awaiting deliberation.
A system similar to universal health care is Medicare, with which individuals over 65 receive free health care. Outside of Medicare and Medicaid, health care for the needy, the American health care system remains privatized through health insurance companies.
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