This week on CounterSpin: The consensus of Beltway media seems to be that a single-payer healthcare system, similar to those in other industrialized countries is “excellent in theory,” but “dead on arrival” in Washington, making its proponents, including Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, naive at best. Americans make life-altering healthcare choices, in which worry over cost plays a big part, every day, but serious public discussion about how to address that crisis is a sometimes thing. So we should care what media are saying about single payer—as a lesson in policing possibilities, even apart from what it means for the presidential race.
One of the country’s foremost experts on the subject is Steffie Woolhandler. A primary care physician for many years, she’s co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program and a professor at the CUNY School of Public Health.
And first, as usual, we’ll take a quick look back at recent press, including Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Planned Parenthood.
SOURCE LINK:
- “Doctors Group Welcomes National Debate on ‘Medicare for All,’” Physicians for a National Health Program (1/22/16)
Today’s COUNTERSPIN goes dead around 9:30 for about 9 minutes.
I love Counterspin & think that the issue covered today is one of the most important facing our country today. Please fix the recording. After several downloads, there is silence from about 9:30 to about 18:30.
Same as above, It’s cutting out around 9:15 or 9:30.
There is some issue with the audio for today. I am trying to download to play on the radio, people love this show! Hope it gets fixed
Thanks!!
Ruby
PA
KMUD Redway, CA
A favorite talking point that opponents of single payer love to use is the idea that doctor visits need to be scheduled months in advance. Canada supposedly has notoriously long waits for appointments. I was hoping Steffie would be able to address this. Wondering if that is a problem unique to Canada, to certain parts of Canada, or if it is really a problem at all there.
No one better than a Woolhandler to counter Poppy Bush-diving Hellary and her NinnyOn PNAC Attackers on Single-payer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAyan1fXCE
They’ve bin serially excreting pitiful puddles of PPCACA in our community health pool since the over-exposure of $lick Willy!!
Thanks, great pieces, particularly the facts from Woolhandler.
The idea that the great center is unrepresented is exactly what we have had with this pandering the extremes in the primaries. American politics is toxic. Sanders’ policies when not named specifically as “socialist” have like 70% approval ratings. I hope Americans are changing, growing up and learning something.
Is there a transcript? I would rather read than just listen.
Single-payer health insurance, we are now being told by the dimwit media, is out of the question because powerful drug and insurance interests don’t want it.That notion has swept the Republican contender lineup and is getting traction among Democrats.
The President’s Department of Health and Human Services could simply make a single-payer system available. People could sign up whether the drug and insurance companies liked it or not. Over time, it would replace the for-profit system we have now.