Davis Enterprise
January 21, 2007

A Better Idea for Health Coverage

By Dan Braunstein, Chair
Health Care for All - Yolo

I certainly agree with the conclusion of Dick Dorf's column in the January 17th Enterprise regarding the tough "Health care challenge" facing the Legislature. However, in listing possible winners and losers, I believe he misses the most significant losers of all. They are the very large economic middle and lower middle classes, who will face the prospect of paying substantial premiums (for their income level) for very large deductible health insurance policies. I'm referring to deductibles of $5,000 or more.

Yes, the Governor's proposal would require insurance companies to offer policies to these individuals and families. And there would also be a mandate (however difficult to enforce) for them to sign up. But while they would receive catastrophic coverage, they would have to pay out of pocket for more routine health care services and medications, often the very type of preventative care that would keep them from becoming very ill. Check the "retail" price of the most prescribed drugs to treat high cholesterol, for example.

A "single payer" insurance system (S.B. 840, vetoed by Schwarzenegger last August), would not have high deductibles, and would have significantly less administrative costs and bureaucracy. Or perhaps, Congress will extend Medicare to all!

Return to : Single Payer Articles