AFL-CIO favors 'mixed' health care system, Sweeney says

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3933

12 February 2009

WASHINGTON - The AFL-CIO favors a mixed public-private universal health care system, with government, business and individuals all sharing in its costs and with strong cost controls, including a government-run insurance alternative to keep the private insurance industry honest, federation President John Sweeney said.

His stand comes as a federation committee is still hashing out details, before the early-March AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in Florida, about what type of health care system to push -- and also as proponents of government-run single-payer health care gain increasing state and local union support. Its latest backers are the AFT in Vermont and the National Education Association's Oregon statewide affiliate.

Sweeney, a founding member of the academy, spoke to the academy's conference at the National Press Club as debate over what type of health care system the nation should have in the future erupted again. First, Obama insisted health care must be fundamentally restructured, with a "down payment" on that by electronically computerizing medical records -- part of his economic recovery bill. His goal is a complete health care overhaul, mixed public and private, by the end of his term.

And pickets who back government-run single-payer health care marched in front of the J.W. Marriott Hotel during a speech by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. Baucus flatly opposes single-payer government-run health care.

Single-payer would virtually eliminate the insurers, their high deductibles, 33% overhead, co-pays -- and what the government says are 18,000 people who die yearly because the firms deny payment for care. Sweeney upped the number to 22,000 dead.

Sweeney told the crowd that entrenched special interests -- he singled out the insurers -- would oppose any effort at reforming the health care system, because they want to preserve their profits and control. But any effort at universal health care will fail without strong cost controls, he sternly warned.

"It would seem that our economic collapse has added to our health care crisis --- and that is certainly true. But it is also true that our health care crisis contributed greatly to our economic collapse," Sweeney commented. That's because health care costs are out of control, showing the need for strong government regulation, he added,


FULL story at link.

[jwirr]

1. I realize that this is probably reality but I am so disappointed. As a

senior I shutter to think that our whole medical system in going to be like Part D. I cannot think of anything worse except for of course no universal program at all.