Dr. Lynn Blewett

Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for that question, Clarence. And I I missed one important part of our sort of coverage framework, which is there are about 8% of people across the country, which is, let me just check my number, 26 million who don't have health insurance coverage. And so there is what we call a safety net

Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for that question, Clarence. And I I missed one important part of our sort of coverage framework, which is there are about 8% of people across the country, which is, let me just check my number, 26 million who don't have health insurance coverage. And so there is what we call a safety net

which provides free or low-cost care, and that's through federal and state funding, so federally qualified health centers or community health centers. We have rural immigrant programs, and then like HCMC, the public hospital, which is funded by state and federal grants and financing. And Medicaid does pay for some of those people in those programs, but they're very community-based, local-driven.

which provides free or low-cost care, and that's through federal and state funding, so federally qualified health centers or community health centers. We have rural immigrant programs, and then like HCMC, the public hospital, which is funded by state and federal grants and financing. And Medicaid does pay for some of those people in those programs, but they're very community-based, local-driven.

And if you don't have health insurance, you should be able to find one of those and get either low-cost or no-cost care. Many of them don't provide access to specialist care, but they may be able to help you find somebody who would be willing to take somebody at a discount.

And if you don't have health insurance, you should be able to find one of those and get either low-cost or no-cost care. Many of them don't provide access to specialist care, but they may be able to help you find somebody who would be willing to take somebody at a discount.

Well, you know, I like to, I don't like to use the term single payer because it, it polarizes people.

Well, you know, I like to, I don't like to use the term single payer because it, it polarizes people.

Single payer means, you know, government run, government sponsored health care. And there are some models. So, you know, England has a universal care program with public, funded by public dollars, and most of the health system is publicly supported. But there are also other systems where there's a combination of public and private entities.

Single payer means, you know, government run, government sponsored health care. And there are some models. So, you know, England has a universal care program with public, funded by public dollars, and most of the health system is publicly supported. But there are also other systems where there's a combination of public and private entities.

And so I like to refer to universal care and different ways to get to universal coverage or 100% coverage. There's different ways to get there. And I, you know, I, it's so hard to, I'm 100% supportive of universal coverage. And I think the United States could get there. But

And so I like to refer to universal care and different ways to get to universal coverage or 100% coverage. There's different ways to get there. And I, you know, I, it's so hard to, I'm 100% supportive of universal coverage. And I think the United States could get there. But

in this political environment and for the political environment we've had for many years now, it's just a huge roadblock to get there. So I'm 100% supportive. I was 100% supportive of Bernie Sanders, who was advocating for Medicare for all. I think there's different ways to get there. One thing I do I do kind of come back to is the states that have tried, single payer have done studies.

in this political environment and for the political environment we've had for many years now, it's just a huge roadblock to get there. So I'm 100% supportive. I was 100% supportive of Bernie Sanders, who was advocating for Medicare for all. I think there's different ways to get there. One thing I do I do kind of come back to is the states that have tried, single payer have done studies.

So Vermont was kind of, states have advanced this and Minnesota kind of goes and fits and starts on a model of universal coverage. And Vermont was a state that went kind of ahead of all the other states. And the problem was, is that transferring private funded healthcare services to a public funded system requires an increase in taxes.

So Vermont was kind of, states have advanced this and Minnesota kind of goes and fits and starts on a model of universal coverage. And Vermont was a state that went kind of ahead of all the other states. And the problem was, is that transferring private funded healthcare services to a public funded system requires an increase in taxes.

And so when people see that explicit tax amount that costs are, you know, that would be needed to fund our healthcare system, right now our employers, so 50% of people get their insurance through employers. We call that private insurance, right?

And so when people see that explicit tax amount that costs are, you know, that would be needed to fund our healthcare system, right now our employers, so 50% of people get their insurance through employers. We call that private insurance, right?

But they get a subsidy on that, on what they contribute to. There's a huge subsidy transfer to them, but we don't see it. It's like implicit. So even though we're, you know, it's tax supported in many, many ways, we don't think of it as tax supported. So as soon as you make that explicit and say, okay, private sector, you're not responsible for healthcare anymore.

But they get a subsidy on that, on what they contribute to. There's a huge subsidy transfer to them, but we don't see it. It's like implicit. So even though we're, you know, it's tax supported in many, many ways, we don't think of it as tax supported. So as soon as you make that explicit and say, okay, private sector, you're not responsible for healthcare anymore.