John W. Olver: “we can make history this year by reforming America's health care system. Our goals should be universal coverage…”

“we can make history this year by reforming America's health care system. Our goals should be universal coverage, comprehensive benefits, total portability, and controlled costs. There is wide agreement on these goals, and we must achieve these goals. Every other industrial country in the world has provided this security to their citizens. Our neighbor, Canada, has already largely achieved these goals. The truth about the effective single payer system in Canada is muddled by false claims. It is not true that Canadians die in lines waiting for care. It is not true that Canadians are flocking to America to avoid rationing and poor care. In fact, many Americans go to Canada for care. Canadian budgets are burdened with fraudulent claims filed by Americans who seek treatment in Canada because they have no insurance here. The truth is that the single payer system works in Canada and can be a model from which we can learn as we create our American plan to achieve national health care.”