SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer gestures as he speaks to reporters at the White House briefing room April 2, 2003 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Ari & I: June 20, 2001
Russell Mokhiber questions White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer
Jun 20, 2001
Mokhiber: Ari, on managed care, we spend $4,200 per person, per year on health care. And yet 42 million Americans have no health insurance and 50 million have inadequate health insurance.
The Swiss spend $2,400, the Germans spend $2,300, the French $2,200, the Canadians, $2,000 -- and everyone is covered. And according to Dr. Quentin Young of Physicians for a National Health Care Program, they have a better health care system.
Question: He wants Medicare for All -- national health insurance. Would the President support such a program?
Ari Fleischer: The President believes that the best way to get health insurance to as many Americans as possible is a combination of the successful private plans that have been working, particularly for people who are under 65, and by reforming and saving Medicare, so that people who turn 65 will have a Medicare program that they can count on and rely on, that includes prescription drugs.
Mokhiber: What's wrong with Medicare for All -- everybody gets it?
Ari Fleischer: There is a current system in place that is focused on employer-provided health insurance --
Mokhiber: That is failing.
Ari Fleischer: That for tens of millions of Americans is a program that provides prescription drugs, is a program that provides much lower premiums and co-payments that Medicare currently supplies. I think if you were to ask many of those people who have insurance currently, if they would want to just abandon what they have and instead set up a different kind of program, they would respond to you and say -- no they prefer to have the system they have.
What's important, in the President's opinion, is to concentrate on those people who don't have any insurance. That's why the President is committed to the health care reforms that he ran on.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Russell Mokhiber
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.
ari & iari fleischergeorge w. bushhealthcaremedicaremedicare for allphysicians for a national health program (pnhp)russell mokhiber
Mokhiber: Ari, on managed care, we spend $4,200 per person, per year on health care. And yet 42 million Americans have no health insurance and 50 million have inadequate health insurance.
The Swiss spend $2,400, the Germans spend $2,300, the French $2,200, the Canadians, $2,000 -- and everyone is covered. And according to Dr. Quentin Young of Physicians for a National Health Care Program, they have a better health care system.
Question: He wants Medicare for All -- national health insurance. Would the President support such a program?
Ari Fleischer: The President believes that the best way to get health insurance to as many Americans as possible is a combination of the successful private plans that have been working, particularly for people who are under 65, and by reforming and saving Medicare, so that people who turn 65 will have a Medicare program that they can count on and rely on, that includes prescription drugs.
Mokhiber: What's wrong with Medicare for All -- everybody gets it?
Ari Fleischer: There is a current system in place that is focused on employer-provided health insurance --
Mokhiber: That is failing.
Ari Fleischer: That for tens of millions of Americans is a program that provides prescription drugs, is a program that provides much lower premiums and co-payments that Medicare currently supplies. I think if you were to ask many of those people who have insurance currently, if they would want to just abandon what they have and instead set up a different kind of program, they would respond to you and say -- no they prefer to have the system they have.
What's important, in the President's opinion, is to concentrate on those people who don't have any insurance. That's why the President is committed to the health care reforms that he ran on.
Russell Mokhiber
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.
Mokhiber: Ari, on managed care, we spend $4,200 per person, per year on health care. And yet 42 million Americans have no health insurance and 50 million have inadequate health insurance.
The Swiss spend $2,400, the Germans spend $2,300, the French $2,200, the Canadians, $2,000 -- and everyone is covered. And according to Dr. Quentin Young of Physicians for a National Health Care Program, they have a better health care system.
Question: He wants Medicare for All -- national health insurance. Would the President support such a program?
Ari Fleischer: The President believes that the best way to get health insurance to as many Americans as possible is a combination of the successful private plans that have been working, particularly for people who are under 65, and by reforming and saving Medicare, so that people who turn 65 will have a Medicare program that they can count on and rely on, that includes prescription drugs.
Mokhiber: What's wrong with Medicare for All -- everybody gets it?
Ari Fleischer: There is a current system in place that is focused on employer-provided health insurance --
Mokhiber: That is failing.
Ari Fleischer: That for tens of millions of Americans is a program that provides prescription drugs, is a program that provides much lower premiums and co-payments that Medicare currently supplies. I think if you were to ask many of those people who have insurance currently, if they would want to just abandon what they have and instead set up a different kind of program, they would respond to you and say -- no they prefer to have the system they have.
What's important, in the President's opinion, is to concentrate on those people who don't have any insurance. That's why the President is committed to the health care reforms that he ran on.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.