By Danielle Laraque and Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, Commentary, February 13
The commentary by the Business Council‘s Lev Ginsburg on universal health care continues to rely on rhetoric and mistruths rather than the facts in an attempt to scare people. The health insurers and their allies use fear and labels like “socialized medicine” to attack a truly universal system, like Medicare but for everyone, that will give every New Yorker access to the doctor of their choice without premiums, deductibles or co-pays because the facts just aren’t on their side and are actually indefensible.
It’s reminiscent of how when Medicare was first proposed, the special interests who opposed it described it as “socialized medicine” and a threat to freedom and liberty. Now, Medicare is overwhelmingly popular and nobody would imagine getting rid of it.
Fact, a recent report from the independent Commonwealth Fund found that over a third of people forego care because of cost and another third get care but have trouble paying their bills — and this is considered good news, because those numbers have gone down.
