A blog to keep current on MPIRG'S fight for social and environmental justice.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Health Care Fridays: Single Payer Myths - Debunked! Part 5


I am Mary Einspahr, HECUA intern for MPIRG this semester and University of Minnesota- Twin Cities chapter member focusing on health care. I care about this issue because I believe that healthcare is a human right.

The Minnesota Health Plan is a single payer healthcare reform bill for our state that would cover 100% of Minnesotans. Single payer is health care in which all payments are under one health plan rather than over 250 for-profit insurance companies. There are many myths about single payer. I am here to debunk them for you.

Myth #5: Single payer will cost me more than I’m paying now for private health insurance.

This is what the system looks like right now: if you are paying $8,000 in premiums for a family of four with a $4,000 deductible, your annual liability is at least $12,000.

Most Minnesotans will pay the same or less than they are currently paying for private health insurance. Instead of paying premiums to greedy insurance companies, most people will pay a similar or smaller amount in taxes.

To clarify, the Minnesota Health Plan will have premiums not taxes. The money from the premiums would not go to the state treasury. It would go straight to the MHP and could only be used to pay for health care. They will most likely pay a smaller premium, and it will be based on the individual’s ability to pay.

The best part is there are no deductibles or co-pays under single payer, and you can see any doctor and visit any hospital in the country.

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