Single-Payer Health Care in Cartoons
Published September 05, 2009 @ 07:49AM PT
About once a year, someone makes the universal health care argument in the form of a cartoon and puts it on YouTube. This is a worthy entry into that genre. Clearly part of the appeal of single-payer health care, a system where all health insurance is paid for by the government out of a central fund to private hospitals and physicians, is its simplicity – you have the whole thing explained in about 4.5 minutes, maybe 10 if you want to get into “What If?” scenarios. But also exposed well in the cartoon format is the Looney Tunes-style contortions we put ourselves through now in order to keep up with the perverse incentives of for-profit insurance.
The comparison of firefighters as a government paid and provided service vs. a for-profit “fire insurance” industry was also taken up in an op-ed by NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. New York City, in fact, used to have a disastrous private industry fire-fighting system. Instead of efficiencies through competition, it bred corruption and the threat of future financial pain for those who had just lost their possessions, usually because of a stroke of fortune. We wouldn’t stand for someone privatizing our police or our army or our fire-fighters or even our water treatment centers. But somehow, despite no other industrialized country standing for a system that makes a profit on basic health (some of them allow insurance companies to make a profit on add-ons and non-essentials, but the essentials are non-profit), we are convinced there’s value to a profit motive with incentives to deny care and avoid customers that are likely to need it that actually enhances our health. Although, when pressed, we’re not sure what that value is.
Sometimes it takes a cartoon to realize how much of our argument is about inertia.
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Comments (12)
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Tim has been an online organizer and blogger on health care policy for the Obama for America campaign (during the primaries) and currently for the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare, a labor union for intern and resident doctors. Views expressed here are Tim's, and don't represent the positions of CIR or SEIU.
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Very good cartoon. I am not trying to be a wiseguy but:
I just wonder how it would be if the cartoon showed that, when you called the fire department, they put you on a waiting list while your house burned because of scarcity of highly-educated firefighters relative to the population? As the Supreme Court in Canada stated in 2005, access to a waiting list is not access to healthcare.
Fortunately services that do not require such highly-trained professionals in the face of overwhelming constant demand are OK for the government to handle in some situations. If a highschool grad could provide excellent medical care, maybe it would work. But even the post office actually contracts for delivery services provided by Fed Ex.
Posted by James Dunham on 09/05/2009 @ 10:23AM PT
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How about a real life documentary of several societies with universal health care systems, no shortage of doctors, nurses, medical supplies, etc. Some counties have Single Payer systems. Others use private plans within a program of social insurance. Their plans are designed for the public good, assisting individuals in receiving the care they need without having to be concerned about the source of payment. They fulfill the insurance function by effectively pooling risks instead of -- doing as America's private insurers do -- restricting benefits – preventing payment for non-covered services; increasing deductibles and other forms of cost sharing – erecting financial barriers to care; contracting with limited lists of providers – penalizing patients who need care outside of the restricted lists; selectively marketing to healthy populations – especially the healthy workforce and their young; using underwriting and rescissions to avoid paying for essential care; and on and on.
The premise of your argument, James, is that governments cannot manage services which require highly trained professional in bulk. And yet, empirical evidence, not some abstract theory, proves you wrong again and again.
Posted by Martin Bring on 09/07/2009 @ 02:12PM PT
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"The premise of your argument, James, is that governments cannot manage services which require highly trained professional in bulk. And yet, empirical evidence, not some abstract theory, proves you wrong again and again."
Wrong, not only on the premise and point of my argument but (shockingly glaring) the evidence. I am weary of posting the facts so, please review my other myriad of postings.
Or, if you want to re-read my post and take another shot at what the significant issue in comparison is, I would be happy to respond.
Posted by James Dunham on 09/07/2009 @ 02:50PM PT
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I'll put you on my waiting list. By the way, most doctors are high school graduates.. Want to buy a syllogism?
Posted by Martin Bring on 09/07/2009 @ 06:39PM PT
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LOL. "I'll take "Dedicated But Misinformed Partisans" for $1,000, Alex."
Posted by James Dunham on 09/07/2009 @ 11:26PM PT
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No more mister nice guy Mr. President, for you this health care thing is a make or break for your presidency but for us it's life or death.
Posted by arlan boll on 09/05/2009 @ 01:53PM PT
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Hmmm well...Now that I have a better understanding of this issue...Yep...I say lets have a universal plan.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/05/2009 @ 09:04PM PT
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I think we are all in favor of universal coverage, but differ on the means. Glad to have you on board.
Posted by James Dunham on 09/07/2009 @ 02:52PM PT
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And here's a Cartoon representing those opposed to health care reform.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1mTjWg-gh4&feature=related
Posted by Martin Bring on 09/07/2009 @ 01:42PM PT
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Hilarious! The sad thing is the radical left actually believes it and it's leaders are trying to sell that as the truth of characterize the opposition to the government option that way!
John Stewart is probably the funniest guy on television! Thanks for the levity break! :o)
Posted by James Dunham on 09/07/2009 @ 02:59PM PT
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You're welcome, James. :)
Posted by Martin Bring on 09/07/2009 @ 06:41PM PT
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It is a good cartoon. It is logical and makes sense. It builds on success.
It does not mention single payer once. It is not ideological. It is a strong argument for government participation in health care.
It is not an argument for single payer. It is an argument for government regulation as much as for government control.
It takes government skeptics to the next step. That is what government advocates must do. That is why the Kristof article makes sense.
That is something PNHP advocates do not understand.
Bohdan A. Oryshkevich, MD, MPH
Posted by Bohdan Oryshkevich on 09/07/2009 @ 08:38PM PT
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