What is the next step to push the ACA towards a single payer or nationalized system?

[Gravitycollapse]

If we take Germany and the UK, for example, it took quite catastrophic conditions for their socialized healthcare systems to blossom. I would like to avoid such things in the US. But I believe that means the process will take much longer to complete.

So, now we have the ACA. What is the next step in the process?

[Shivering Jemmy]

1. Not much to get to Germany's system

First make sure this one works.

[jrandom421]

7. Germany has had healhcare for over a century

And the system was so popular and worked so well, even Hitler and the Nazis didn't dare mess with it.

[Shivering Jemmy]

9. Yes

[upaloopa]

2. A public option in the exchanges.

Lower the age when you can get Medicare

[Pretzel_Warrior]

4. Good ideas. Just lower the age and increase the exceptions that make you eligible for Medicare

[enlightenment]

3. Completely regulate the insurance companies

and make sure they stick to the regulations. They don't get to choose what to offer or what to cover or what to charge.

Until the "for-profit" aspect of this boondoggle is removed, we are about as close to a true single-payer system as the Earth is to Pluto.

[Hoyt]

5. I think the medical loss ratio, and exchange competition makes it more like the Moon

than Pluto.

[enlightenment]

11. Saturn - no closer.

As long as they are allowed to profit, they bear no similarity to other systems that use insurance.

[Demo_Chris]

6. The ACA is a step away from single payer...

I know, I know, no one wants to hear that, none the less it is true. The biggest obstacle to single payer or national healthcare is the insurance industry. The ACA is the greatest gift the insurance industry has ever had. The Tsunami of public and private funds this sends there way is unimaginable, and once they have their hands on it you can pretty well forget ever seeing a national healthcare plan again.

Which might (key word there) be okay if the ACA actually provided healthcare for our neediest. It doesn't. It provides guaranteed profits for the insurance industry and reduced rates for the nation's wealthiest. The poor are still picked up by Uncle Obama if they are poor enough, and if not they get nothing but a bill or a fine.

[KittyWampus]

8. Lobby through state governments. Get them to sign onto statewide plan.

[Zorra]

10. We still need to finish the first step: Make the ACA an unqualified, undeniable, huge success.

Nothing succeeds like success. If we make it a huge success, we get more voters. If we get more voters we get a shot at universal healthcare in the near future.

I'm helping people sign up.

A) I want to see everybody have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that they can get free or affordable healthcare.

B) I have a very serious vendetta against private health insurance companies, I want to crush them out of existence forever.

C) I have a very serious vendetta against republicans, I want to turn the republican party into nothing.

I see the ACA as a possible avenue to help do of these things.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023648218