Our Principles
Cover Everyone.
We believe that everyone needs health care they can count on regardless of their health or income, whether they are working or not, whether they retire early or not, are laid off or on strike. A system based on employers who voluntarily offer coverage and that allows some employers to freeload on others cannot survive.
Control costs.
The system must be affordable, so any reform should streamline bureaucracy and reduce the high overhead costs and profits required of our complicated private insurance system. Insurance should be provided in the largest pools possible, thereby spreading risk widely and cost-effectively. The government should negotiate prices with drug companies and other providers. We need a major investment in electronic health information and chronic care coordination to improve outcomes.
Strong government role.
While the market has an important role to play in health care, the government must play a central role. It should guarantee coverage and help make it more affordable. Government should set and enforce the rules by which private insurance operates, making sure that no insurance company can increase its profit by denying people care. The government should also ensure that people have a choice to get their coverage through a public insurance plan offering comprehensive benefits at an affordable price.
Improve health quality.
The care we receive should be of the highest quality, based on best practices that are the most cost effective. There needs to be a new focus on preventive care – our system is too focused on just treating illness. Quality care means assuring safe staffing levels for nurses with adequate and appropriate training for all caregivers.
Broad-based tax financing.
The health care system must be financed fairly, according to one's ability to pay. Broad-based tax financing will spread the costs throughout the economy so that some employers - many of them union employers - are not left to carry the burden. Such financing will also mean that wage increases will no longer be eaten up by health cost increases.
Latest News
08/27/08 – Universal coverage by 2117?
08/22/08 – Medical debt soars as economy sours
08/19/08 – Health issue resonates with swing voters
08/15/08 – Universal health care: Why not?
08/13/08 – More popular (barely) than oil companies