Difference between revisions of "Talk:Draft GPUS Platform Amendment Health Care"

Latest revision as of 20:33, 31 December 2011

FROM JAN ARNOLD

Single-payer is NOT the only solution. I am an active supporter of Single-payer. BUT Single-payer is a compromise, which continues the excessive profits of other for-profit health care providers (such as Big Pharma). Single-payer is the next step, which removes the most parasitical piece of the current "system," the insurance providers, which not only cost way too much, they actually play a role in denying care. But there are other solutions we could consider, such as universal provision of free neighborhood clinics staffed by government employees, similar to the way our education system provides universal free neighborhood schools staffed by government employees. We could substitute "single-payer is the best next step" rather than the ONLY solution. We would still have a disastrous for-profit health system, but it would be less disastrous. --Jan Arnold (GPAC)

"Economic growth" usually means growth in GDP, which we are not necessarily in favor of. Having a large fraction of health care spending being uselessly sent to insurance companies does not restrict economic growth. The economy grows whether the money goes to insurance companies or to anything we do approve of. That clause could be removed, which still leaves us saying the cost of the healthcare system is crippling our economy. --Jan Arnold, GPAC

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Here's my proposed health care platform revision, as discussed and sent to the USGP Delegation a few days ago (12/28/11).

The 2 portions of the plank that my proposal alters:

From the introduction to the Plank: Greens support a wide-range of health care services, not just traditional medicine which too often em- phasizes “a medical arms race” that relies upon high-tech intervention, surgical techniques and costly pharmaceuticals. Chronic conditions are often best cured by alternative medicine. We support the teaching, funding and practice of holistic health approaches and as appropriate, the use of complementary and alter- native therapies such as herbal medicines, homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and other healing approaches.

From 1. Single-Payer Health Care, this section e. Primary and preventive care as priorities, including wellness education about diet, nutrition and exercise; Holistic health including homeopathy, naturopathic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, herbalism and medical marijuana;

Here are the changes that I am proposing:

Strike all of the language from the introduction.

Replace section e of 1. Single-Payer Health Care with: e. Primary and preventive care as priorities, including wellness education about diet, nutrition and exercise; and medical marijuana;

Yours, Jesse Townley