In this program we speak about the newest phase of the health law, the Affordable Care Act. The health insurance exchanges are open and starting in January most people will be required to have health insurance or pay a penalty. There’s one problem: having health insurance in the United States does not mean that people will have access to or be able to afford the health care they need. Under the ACA, billions in public dollars are being spent to set up insurance markets, advertise them and sell their products. But, most people will only be able to afford, even with subsidies, the lowest tier insurances that require high payments up front before they cover care and that have very restricted networks of providers. The struggle for a real health care system, national Medicare for all, continues. Sergio Espana of the Maryland Health Care is a Human Right campaign and Russell Mokhiber of Single Payer Action talk about their work and what it will take to get real health care for everyone.
Listen here:
The Struggle for Health Care Continues in the U.S. with Sergio Espana and Russell Mokhiber by Clearingthefog on Mixcloud
Watch here:
Relevant articles and websites:
Obamacare: The Biggest Insurance Scam in History by Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese
The ACA is the Wrong Direction, Time for Medicare for All by Margaret Flowers
Beyond the Spin, Some Facts about the Affordable Care Act by Margaret Flowers
Single Payer West Virginia, Tommy Douglas and Healthcare, the Movie by Russell Mokhiber
Maryland Health Care is a Human Right campaign
Guests:
Sergio Espana is the organizer of the Maryland Health Care is a Human Right campaign. He also co-founded the Civilian Soldier Alliance and is involved in the Student Farmworker Alliance.
Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. He is also founder of singlepayeraction.org, and editor of the website Morgan County USA.