CAHI Blasts PNHP's Universal Health Care Proposal; Single-Payer System Would Only Increase America's Health Care Woes

8/13/2003

From: Tom Gardner of The Council for Affordable Health Insurance, 703-836-6200 ext. 386

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 13 -- In today's Journal of the American Medical Association, the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) unveiled a proposal to enact a national single-payer health care system. In other words, CAHI believes, they want to turn this country's health care marketplace into Canada's -- a failed experiment in socialized medicine (a.k.a. universal health care).

"I can understand their desire to provide health care for everyone, that's why they keep proposing this idea." stated CAHI Director Dr. Merrill Matthews. "What I can't understand is why these doctors think a single-payer system achieves that goal. Every country that has enacted a single-payer health care system is in far worse shape than the United States. No government can provide all the care that everyone can effectively use. When you politicize health care dollars, health care has to compete with other valid claims for government funds, such as education, welfare and defense. There is never enough money to go around."

Anyone wanting to see the problems facing countries with socialized medicine can go to Health Policy FactCheckers ( http://www.factcheckers.org ), a coalition website dedicated to providing accurate health policy information, and click on Daily Medical Follies.

Matthews continued, "If we want to fix our health care system, we need to give Americans more options, not fewer." Some of these options include Fair Care legislation which gives the uninsured tax credits, high-risk pools for people with pre-existing medical conditions and ending the restrictions on Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).

"What is missing in this debate," Matthews continued, "is an awareness of the waiting lines, rationing and poor quality of care in countries with single-payer health care systems. Doctors are fleeing those countries and so are the patients who need care. If the U.S. adopts a single-payer system, where will Canadians go to get quality health care?"

To receive a copy of "The Myths of Canadian Health Care" or to schedule an interview of CAHI Director Dr. Merrill Matthews, contact Tom Gardner, communications director, at 703-836-6200 ext. 386 or e-mail: tgardner@cahi.org

CAHI is a research and advocacy association of insurance carriers active in the individual, small group, MSA and senior markets. CAHI's membership includes health insurance companies, small businesses, physicians, actuaries, and insurance brokers. Since 1992, CAHI has been an advocate for market-oriented solutions such as MSAs to the problems in America's health care system. Web Site: http://www.cahi.org.