Single-payer health care system touted

About 150 people gathered to demonstrate in favor of a single-payer health care system before a White House Regional Forum on Health Reform at the University of Vermont in Burlington on Tuesday March 17, 2009.

Dr. John Walsh, a neuroscience researcher from Worcester, Mass., stood Tuesday with 150 other sign-carrying supporters of government-financed health care outside the building where 400 invited guests would attend a regional health care reform forum sponsored by the Obama White House.

Walsh passed out yellow fliers that denounced President Barack Obama for failing to live up to promises to consider a Canadian-style health insurance system. "Single payer is the choice in the polls," Walsh declared.

Rebecca Elgie, a retired teacher, traveled six hours from Ithaca, N.Y., because she has made advocacy for a single-payer system her cause. Three years ago she walked 400 miles across her state to raise awareness about the need for a better way to pay for health care. Elgie said, "The employee-based system has outlived its usefulness."

The rally greeted the invited guests as they strolled toward the Davis Center at the University of Vermont under a bright blue sky. "They need to know there is enough support for people to drop everything and come here to support single payer," said Dr. Deb Richter, a Montpelier family physician and prime force in the single-payer movement in Vermont.

"Barack Obama is with us," Richter told the rally participants. "President Obama is in a leaky boat out there in an ocean surrounded by sharks. We can’t expect President Obama to stick his toe in the water. He needs our help. That is why we are here today."

Many at the rally were sure single-payer advocates would be ignored during the forum, even though some, including Richter, had tickets. But Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, who co-hosted the forum with Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont, didn’t duck the topic. He put a spotlight on it.

"Is there one way?" Patrick asked the audience. "Should we have a couple of different ways or should we have a national template? Let’s talk a little about single payer."

Patrick called on Richter, who sat in a front row in her white coat. Noting the administrative burden that physicians face dealing with dozens of health insurance payers, Richter asked, "Why would we even need private insurance?"

Source: Burlingtonfreepress.com