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Kevin Zeese on Health Care
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Politicians oppose single-payer because of big pharma money
ZEESE: The only way we have ever seen any country provide health care for all is a single-payer healthcare system. But you don't talk about that because it challenge the people who fund your campaign, the health insurance industry. Those pharmaceutical
companies charge people three times as much as they can get those same drugs for, outside the country. You voted twice against for bringing in those drugs for a less expensive price. That's against the people's interest.CARDIN: You know that I've
introduced legislation to take on the pharmaceutical companies.
ZEESE: Yes, after you voted the wrong way, to not allow less expensive pharmaceuticals into the country.
CARDIN: My bill would reduce the cost of pharmaceutical products by about
2/3rds, using market forces to bring down costs. I've taken on the insurance companies. I want Canadians coming to America to buy drugs. Take a look at what I've been able to accomplish, and who has stood up to these interests.
Source: MD 2006 3-way Senate Debate on NewsChannel 8
Oct 25, 2006
Supports single payer national health system
Q: Do you support more federal funding for health coverage? A: I favor a single payer health system, a national health plan, where the government is the single payer. However, that does not mean more funding, in fact the
US spends more per capita than any other country in the world. But, that is because there is so much waste in our system.
Source: Email interview with OnTheissues.org
Jun 25, 2006
Single payer eliminates waste and saves lives
25% of health care expenditures (almost $200 billion annually) is spent on unnecessary overhead and bureaucracy of the private health insurance industry. The typical doctors office spends 42% of its overhead trying to collect from the health insurance
industry. The only way any country has achieved health care for all is through a single payer system. The vast majority of Americans, nearly 70%, support a national health care plan with a single payer system,
yet this is not discussed by the two old parties because they get so much money from the private health insurance industry. This is a classic example of the wealthy special interests coming before the necessities of the American people.
The National Academy of Sciences finds that 18,000 people die annually because of lack of health insurance--yet big money politics blocks the obvious solution.
Source: Email interview with OnTheissues.org
Jun 25, 2006