Mark Warner opposes single payer

by: martinlomasney

Sat Mar 14, 2009 at 12:51:32 PM EDT

(Interesting diary--good to know where our elected officials stand. - promoted by Aimee Fausser)

Given his corporatist proclivities, I shouldn't be surprised by the following:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding reforming our nation's health care system. I share your concerns about the need for comprehensive health care reform, especially during this challenging economic time.

Although I do not support a government-run single-payer health care system, [emphasis added] I believe we need comprehensive reform to achieve a competitive, cost-effective, and efficient system. This effort should be primarily focused on ensuring that all Americans can get adequate health coverage, and the coverage must be cost-effective and based upon data-driven medical standards. Any final reform should also include measures to promote use of electronic medical records and a more intense focus on preventive care.

When this issue comes up for debate, I plan to put progress before partisanship to work on ways to increase access to health care for all Americans. Thanks again for writing with your views on health care. I hope to have your input in the coming months as we craft legislation to improve a health care system that is in dire need of reform.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator

Given the health insurers 40% administration, overhead & profit margins versus Medicare's 2% administration and overhead figure, why is Mark excluding single payer right off the bat?

Mark, or someone else who opposes single payer, has to explain what it is exactly (besides campaign contributions) that health insurers contribute to improving the nations health. For the life of me, I can't think of a single thing that health insurers do to make health care more effective or efficient.

Mostly they just game the system, excluding the sick, denying coverage, squeezing providers and delaying payments.

My business saw a 35% increase in our health premiums and a increase in our per family deductible to $3000. All driven by the bad investments the insurers made with our premiums.

So why is Mark determined to protect these rent-seeking leaches?

martinlomasney :: Mark Warner opposes single payer