Capital City Chapter Members' Editorials

• 'Consumer-directed health' care is a bad bet
  Ken Brummel-Smith | Tallahassee Democrat | My View
  As a physician, I'm happy to see that my fellow state employees have generally been smart enough to avoid the so-called "health investor plans." The whole idea of "consumer-directed health care" is a misnomer and bad idea.

• Single-payer system is the way to go
  Ray Bellamy | Tallahassee Democrat | My View
  Eliminating the insurance companies and replacing them with a single-payer system such as HR 676 proposes would save our country an estimated $350 billion a year, enough to provide comprehensive health care for all of us, including dental coverage, long-term care, full pharmacy and mental-health benefits -- all with no co-pays or deductibles and at no additional cost to our country beyond what we now spend on health care.

• Economics of Health Care for All
  By Charles R. Mathews, M.D.
  Especially now in these times of widespread severe economic stress, the country can not afford to continue the current chaotic non-system of health care for all Americans. Krugman again: "But things may have to get much worse before reality can break through the combination of powerful interest groups and free-market ideology."

• We Can't Afford to Not Have a National Health Insurance Plan
  By Dr. Kenneth Brummel-Smith
  Michael Moore's most recent documentary, Sicko, has increased the heat on the discussion of health care in America. It is high time Americans and their representatives took a hard look at the state of health care we have. If I did a physical on our health care system, I'd have to say it is not doing too well. And the prognosis is grim.