“The biggest problem we have in health care is the for-profit insurance companies,” said Sylvia Hampton, a veteran health care activist and health director of the League of Women Voters of San Diego County, as she presented to EDC’s April 9 meeting. “That giant sucking sound” you head is the money they pull out of the nation’s health care system.

Sylvia Hampton

Hampton was joined by Dr. Allen Nalbandian, a radiologist in private practice, who blamed the insurance firms’ high administrative costs for skimming off between one-quarter and one-third of health care resources. “We’re paying for a primo package” of health care, he said, “and we’re just not getting it.” While U.S. costs are the highest in the world, he said, health indices show overall health in America is ranked 37th.

Dr. Allen Nalbandian

Nalbandian explained that the goal of insurers is to get universal coverage that allows them to collect premiums from the 80 percent of the public that use few medical services, mostly because they are young, and to “dump” the elderly 20 percent of the population, which uses 80 percent of the medical care, onto the government.

Hampton said the Obama administration health care plan would give the insurers just what they want. “They will make so much money if (the Obama plan) passes,” she exclaimed. She urged those attending the meeting to speak up in support of HR 676, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and SB 703, sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont).

In California, single payer health care is now carried in SB 810, sponsored by State Senator Mark Leno, (D- San Rafael). Hampton asked the audience to write or schedule meetings with local state senators and assembly members to urge them to support the bill.

Said Nalbandian: ”We will prevail… but we’re going to see a lot of (human) wreckage” before the public rises up to demand change.

For more information:

Hampton recommended this website for additional information: www.myspace.com/onecarenoworg

Here’s a Columbia Journalism Review article that explains how we are being duped by the industry. It is called, “Who Will Be at the Table? What lurks under the insurers’ gesture of friendship?” 

She also recommended two videos:

March 10 video: listen to the demonstration with Rep. Massa from NY, then the statements from Don Danner from National Federation of Independent Business and Karen Ignani, CEO of American Health Insurance Plans. Listen carefully—these words matter. Only informed citizens/consumers will save this situation.

New film on health care. Play the trailer video.

For information on the Obama administration health care plan: www.healthreform.gov