It’s always interesting to read the common confusion injected into this issue by people who are smart enough to know the difference. Of course, everyone supports “universal healthcare.” That has rarely been the question. The misguided presumption is that universal healthcare is the same as “single payer.” It is not. Many people have thrown in the towel on the current system because it is simply easier to say, “Let the government handle it,” than to do the work to provide universal coverage through the current system.
Few people I’ve met favor a government-run system. All of them agree that we need universal access to quality healthcare. All of them understand that regardless of the system, it must be paid for. The only redeeming value of putting it in the hands of the government is their ability to mandate change—like it or not. All healthcare is local. Having the fundamental right to choose is a significant part of our basic freedoms. There is no reason to give that away because we have historically ignored a problem that we all agree needs to be fixed. It’s not that hard if we have the will to do it.
Michael Murphy
President and chief executive officerMercy Health PlansSt. Louis
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