On Sunday, March 4, 2018 I had the privilege of attending a workshop at Local 211 in Defiance that was
put on my SPAN-OHIO, and Dr. John Ross. Several of our members were in attendance and the purpose
was to educate us about a single payer health care system for our country and how it would work. This is
a proposed system in which a public agency organizes health care financing, while the actual care remains
mostly in private hands. Under this system, all citizens would be insured for all medically necessary
services. This would include doctor visits, hospital stays, preventative medicine, long term care, dental,
vision, and prescriptions.
I know what you’re thinking. Sounds too good to be true, right? But in actuality many nations have
already adopted this plan with great success! The current life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.8 years. This
does not compare favorably with Germany (81.2) France (82.9), and Italy (83.2) who are not only
enjoying a longer life but paying less than half as much per capita as Americans. This is what can happen
here if we are able to release the death grip that health insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies
currently have on each of us. Another sickening statistic are the profits generated by our current system
which include 67 billion for pharmaceutical companies, 15 billion for insurance providers, and 8.3 billion
in equipment and supplies. Remember these numbers are profits, which means this is money being taken
out of the economy that could be spent on college education, home improvements, new vehicles etc etc…
How are we going to pay for this? Many studies have been done on this very question, and the best laid
plan shows that yes, there would be a tax increase but that would be offset by paying zero in insurance
premiums. It is my opinion that all people should have access to the same healthcare regardless of their
circumstances in life, and that NOBODY should be denied care due to an inability to pay. Most of us
have been fortunate enough to have access to decent healthcare due in large part to union negotiated
benefits, but that in no way gives anyone the right to look down their nose at their neighbor who may
have been dealt some tough breaks in life along the way. This, along with the fact that many of these
people are veterans should motivate us to push for change.
Currently in Ohio we have Senate Bill 91, and House Bill 440 which would provide universal healthcare
for all Ohioans through the creation of the Ohio Health Care Plan. I urge you to contact your local
representatives whether it be Craig Riedel, Rob McColley, or Jim Hoops and tell them “Enough is
Enough” We want healthcare for all!
Raymond Sauber
DEFIANCE AREA UAW/CAP CHAIRPERSON
