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class="widgets widgets-element widgets-element-horizontal widgets-style-horizontal">In
a single-payer system, all health care money goes into one pot, and all health
care services are paid for out of that pot (the “single payer”). There are no
private insurance companies standing between patients and their health care.
Patients have free choice of qualified health care providers, and providers are
free to work with patients and families to determine the care they need—knowing
their patients can afford it.</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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<H3>The purpose of single-payer health care</H3>
<P>First and foremost, it ensures that everyone has access to the health care
they need—it makes health care a basic right, not a privilege available only to
those who can afford it. And because everyone is covered by the same system, we
all have a stake in making it the best system possible.</P>
<P>Second, single-payer saves money. It is the most administratively efficient,
cost-effective system of financing, so we get the greatest value for the money
we spend. Besides cutting paperwork and eliminating insurance company profits,
the system saves money through health system planning and negotiated prices for
goods and services, and by investing in public health and encouraging
community-based care.</P>
<H3>Role of the government</H3>
<P>In a single-payer system, the primary role of government is to collect and
distribute funds. Most care will continue to be privately delivered. Providers
may choose to work for themselves, for a not-for-profit organization, or for a
public entity. Independent boards that include consumers and providers set
guidelines for what services are covered; the boards also decide how to
distribute money and resources to facilities like hospitals and nursing
homes.</P>
<H3>Contrast to the recent health care reform</H3>
<P>The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) makes some
improvements for some people, but it leaves millions uncovered or under-insured,
and many people who are covered will still find health care unaffordable. A
major drawback is that it leaves in place the nation's multiple insurance
companies, with huge profits, outrageous marketing expenses, frequent claim
denials and complex, time-consuming paperwork for patients and providers.
Insurance companies are legally obligated to serve their shareholders’
interests, not to work in the best interests of patients or their
communities.</P>
<H1 id=page-title class=title>Single-Payer Legislation</H1>
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<H4>ISPC supports Single-Payer Legislation in Illinois and Nationally!</H4>
<H2><STRONG>Illinois</STRONG></H2>
<UL>
<LI>
<P><STRONG>Read a synopsis or the full text of <A
href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=942&GAID=12&GA=98&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=71249&SessionID=85"
target=_blank>HB 942</A> (formerly HB 311) the Illinois Universal Health
Care Act. (This is essentially the same as the national bill HR 676; see
below.)</STRONG></P></LI>
<LI>
<P>View a <A href="http://www.pnhpillinois.org/311summary.php"
target=_blank>summary of the bill</A> from PNHP - Illinois </P></LI></UL>
<H2><STRONG>National</STRONG></H2>
<P><STRONG>Two approaches to creating a single-payer health care system are
represented by proposed national legislation:</STRONG></P>
<H3>1. Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act (HR676)</H3>
<UL>
<LI><STRONG>Read the full text <A
href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.676:"
target=_blank>here</A>.</STRONG></LI>
<LI><STRONG>View a summary of the bill, <A
href="http://www.pnhp.org/news/2011/february/summary-hr-676-the-expanded-improved-medicare-for-all-act"
target=_blank>here</A>, from Physicians for a National Health
Program.</STRONG></LI>
<LI><STRONG>View a summary, <A
href="http://www.healthcare-now.org/whats-single-payer/hr-676"
target=_blank>here</A>, from Healthcare-Now.</STRONG></LI></UL>
<H3>2. American Health Security Act (companion bills S915/HR1200)</H3>
<UL>
<LI><STRONG>Read the full text <A
href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.915:"
target=_blank>here</A> or <A
href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.1200:"
target=_blank>here</A>. </STRONG></LI>
<LI><STRONG>Get a summary and additional information on these bills, from
Healthcare-Now!, <A
href="http://www.healthcare-now.org/whats-single-payer/s-915hr-1200"
target=_blank>here</A>. </STRONG></LI></UL>
<H3>Comparison between the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act and the
American Health Security Act.</H3>
<UL>
<LI><STRONG>From PNHP, side by side comparison between certain features of the
two bills <A href="http://www.md.pnhp.org/docs/Comparison-HR676-and-S703.pdf"
target=_blank>here</A>.</STRONG></LI>
<LI><STRONG>From PNHP, 2009 analysis of defects of HR 1200 compared to HR 676,
</STRONG></LI></UL></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>