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“If you want progressive change, that has to come from the American people. Presidents will quickly follow.” -Ed Weisbart, MD, board secretary of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP).

I am one of the few non-physicians on the state Steering Committee for the Georgia Chapter of PNHP. I know and respect Dr. Weisbart, who has a strong background in private healthcare, as do I. And he is 100% correct.

Vice President Harris and former President Trump feel very differently about health policy. But there is one thing that they both agree on, in public anyway. They do not want to be reminded that each once supported Medicare for All…but do no longer. Why? That is also very clear. Per Larry Levitt of KFF, a respected nonpartisan healthcare group- “The votes just aren’t there for Medicare for All.”

In 2000, Trump stated – “I’m a conservative on most issues but a liberal on health …We must have universal healthcare.” (https://www.axios.com/2018/02/05/trump-universal-health-care-single-payer-united-kingdom ). In other words, single payer healthcare via the government, known in the USA as Medicare for All. It was clearly not a slip of the tongue or an accident. He made similar statements in 2015 and twice in 2017.

However, to get conservative GOP support, Trump now says- “reject the socialist model that rations care, restricts access, slashes quality, and forces patients onto endless waitlists. Instead, we believe in freedom. We believe in choice.” Opposed to what Vance said at the debate, as President, Trump tried to kill the ACA.

Confusing- but Trump is not as stupid as many on the left believe. He’s a con man. He may act weird, and care nothing at all about anyone except himself, but he’s intelligent. Trump knows traditional Medicare for All means increased freedom of provider choice and less rationing versus the HMOs and PPOs driving our private insurance programs. Plus, our citizens will all be covered, versus 14% uninsured in Georgia now.

Further, it will not cost any more than we currently pay. Just look at Europe and Canada, delivering better healthcare at half the cost (see below).

Harris is also inconsistent. Then Senator Harris signed on as a co-sponsor to Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2017 Medicare for All legislation.  Harris admirably stated- “Let’s give the taxpayer of the United States a better return on their investment…Medicare for All stands for the proposition that all Americans…throughout their lives, will have access to health care.”

At a CNN town hall during the 2019 primary campaign for the Democratic nomination, she again stated- “We need to have Medicare for All.” Afterwards, she did water down her support, saying she would permit Medicare Advantage, with private insurance (https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/14/politics/kamala-harris-medicare-for-all/index.html ).

It is past time that we address this national shame. A decade ago, Dr. Gerald Friedman, University of Massachusetts professor and national health policy expert, was in Charlotte for the launching of a physician advocacy group (Health Care Justice).

Friedman indicated that U.S. per capita health care cost then was $7,920. That compared with $3,323 in Sweden, $2,984 in Finland and only $2,686 in Italy. He pointed out that data proved that people in these countries were healthier than in our country. Plus, he indicated that over time the situation was getting worse in America. He was 100% correct.

By 2022, U.S. per capita health care cost had risen to $12,555…an increase of 59% in less than a decade. That compared with $6,438 in Sweden, $5,599 in Finland and only $4,291 in Italy (Health at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators).

There are various studies comparing the quality of US healthcare to other nations. Per one respected source- “despite higher healthcare spending, America’s health outcomes are not any better than those in other developed countries. The United States actually performs worse in some common health metrics like life expectancy, infant mortality, unmanaged diabetes, and safety during childbirth” (https://www.pgpf.org/blog/2024/08/how-does-the-us-healthcare-system-compare-to-other-countries).

We must all understand that we in the USA are at the bottom when it comes to coverage… while at the top regarding cost. And our quality of care is mediocre compared to many wealthy countries. If we want high quality healthcare with coverage for all, delivered at a reasonable price, we must demand a bipartisan solution. Our national leaders must review the healthcare best-practices of the world’s high-income nations. And then implement them, including single payer.