I am someone whose eyes easily glaze over when the topic turns to insurance or finance. Extreme simplification is my friend. Judging from the economically shell-shocked condition of this country, I have many such fellow travelers.

I found this gem while googling about trying to explore the basics of the Single Payer Plan. It is entertaining and educational. At one point it uses a "prom" metaphor. Works for me. Enjoy it and share it.

Here is the link, followed by some self-disclosures from the creator.

http://www.grahamazon.com/sp/whatissinglepayer.php

I’m a medical student, computer geek, health policy wonk, weblogger, health care activist, and all around good guy. I promise. I believe that the current health system is a mess: disorganized, wasteful, inefficient, and many times, harmful. My goal is to educate. I think there’s a lot of facts out there that we don’t hear about, and you can bet my bippy that I’m going to be a Great Equalizer if it’s at all possible.

I’m grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I’ve been able to have growing up in the US, but I think the way that we provide health insurance in this country is simply abominable. I don’t think people should have their lives destroyed, their credit ruined, and their families hurt by getting sick. It’s the lowest of the low to hit someone when they’re down, and that’s what I think happens to too many people in the US when they’re sick.

You don’t choose to get cancer, so why should you be punished by it if you don’t have insurance?

My motivation isn’t merely from an ethical or moral standpoint however–I believe that we would have a more productive economy if we had national health insurance in this country. Canada’s businesses swear by it–it’s cheaper to make cars in Canada than in Detroit for that very reason–and I’ve heard from too many people that work in jobs they hate only because they don’t want to lose their health insurance.

My interests are self-serving, too. I don’t want to work in the current system; too often it pits patients against doctors, and it’s hurting the doctor-patient relationship: the thing that allows doctors to do their best to help patients. Medicine is not the same as it used to be. We can do better.