A Majority of Americans Favor Government-Run Universal Health Care System

Insurance companies and politicians resist change Interview with Dr. Stephanie Woolhandler, co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program, conducted by Scott Harris

With an estimated 43 million Americans without health insurance and sharply rising costs each year, there is a new openness to undertake fundamental changes in the nation's healthcare system. In September, 10,000 doctors publicly endorsed the creation of a government-run, single-payer health care program in the pages of the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association. And in a Washington Post-ABC News poll released in October a majority of Americans, by a 2 to 1 margin, now prefer the establishment of a new universal national health insurance system over the current privatized healthcare structure.

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't provide its citizens universal healthcare coverage. But despite growing dissatisfaction with the current system and skyrocketing costs for health care and prescription drugs, politicians at the state and national level seem unwilling to challenge the current system, where big insurance companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers have considerable power to influence the debate through lobbying and campaign contributions.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Dr. Stephanie Woolhandler, associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program, who explains why she believes there has been a shift in public opinion regarding universal health care and the political environment that hinders fundamental reform.

To contact Physicians for a National Health Program, call (312) 782-6006 or visit their website at www.pnhp.org

Related links:

"Health Care Pains: Growing Health Care Concerns Fuel Cautious Support for Change," By Gary Langer, ABC News, Oct. 20, 2003

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:

http://www.btlonline.org

*

"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: http://www.btlonline.org

*

"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).

*

For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

*

For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

*

betweenthelines@snet.net

*

Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions

*

©2003 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.

**