Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 9/17/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Jordan Murph Democratic presidential candidate for 2008 Dennis Kucinich (right) has the support of Ah Quon McElrath(left), a longtime local health care lobbyist. The two headlined a panel on campus Saturday to raise support for the passage of universal health care in America.

Media Credit: Casey Chin audio clip

Media Credit: Casey Chin audio clip

Media Credit: Casey Chin audio clip

Audio clips are available on the righthand side

Almost 16 percent of Americans do not have health insurance. According to Ah Quon McElrath, a local health care lobbyist, of these 47 million people, college-age students represent the largest group. Today, the United States stands as the only developed nation without national health care.

In response to this issue, a national health care panel was held at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Saturday afternoon. It advocated a universal health care system as a solution to the uninsured population. Keynote speaker for the forum was 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, who is campaigning with universal health care as one of his platforms.

"Half of the bankruptcies in America are tied to people who haven't been able to pay their doctor bills," Kucinich said. "Who wouldn't just give everything they own to repair or rescue the health of a loved one?"

Hawai‘i State Rep. John Mizuno, Ah Quon McElrath and Fred Dodge, director of the Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, joined Kucinich. The four support the passage of universal health care legislation and the end of privatized health care.

In an effort to propagate universal health care, Kucinich is one of many representatives co-sponsoring a universal health care bill. The United States National Healthcare Insurance Act calls for a single-payer health care system, in which medical expenses are paid from a single national fund. Kucinich said the fedgovernment would be the single payer and health coverage would be free. "(Insurance companies) make over 15 percent in administrative costs and profits each year which could be eliminated if we had a single plan," Kucinich said of the bill's proposal to dissolve privatized health care. The bill has been introduced and was most recently referred to the subcommittee on health. It is now awaiting deliberation.

A system similar to universal healthcare is Medicare, with which individuals over 65 receive free health care. Outside of Medicare and Medicaid, health care for the needy, the American health care system remains privatized through health insurance companies.

The panel speakers said that those with more money can afford better and more comprehensive coverage. Those with less financial security generally buy incomplete coverage or none at all, in the end, hurting the policyholders and benefiting the insurance companies. "Shoe stores make money by selling shoes," Kucinich said. "Health insurance companies make money by not providing health care."

Critics of the United States National Healthcare Insurance Act say such a system would be more expensive. However, Kucinich and McElrath echoed John Conyers - the representative from Michigan who introduced the bill - in saying that national health care would cost just as much or less than the current system. According to McElrath, health care now costs around $2.3 trillion.

Kucinich asserted that consolidation of health insurance into one entity avoids unnecessary administrative and redundant costs. "If you get sick, you don't have a second illness, which is a financial illness," he added.

On the state level, Rep. John Mizuno spoke about the local fight for national health care. A Hawai‘i House bill was recently started as a pilot program to cover children, newborns to 19-year-olds, with free in-state health care. He also talked about an additional bill that would lay a budget for free health care in the state. However, he admitted it was unrealistic that the bill will pass the governor's desk.

Fred Dodge, a veteran of family practice for 45 years, further commented on the local situation. He said the state of Hawai‘i is short on doctors. Currently, doctors are also under-compensated, especially given Hawai‘i's higher cost of living. Dodge criticized "prior authorization," which is when a doctor must get the health insurance company's permission to treat a patient. He added that if a company decides to not grant permission, then the individual is not financially covered.

The panel's stance was clear in stating that a move to universal health care would be good for the people and nation as a whole. Each panel member criticized the current system, including pharmaceutical companies, as too profit-driven.

Mizuno concluded that nationalizing health care would curb this type of profiteering. "Health care is a right, not a privilege."

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