Sat Jul 27, 2019, 08:04 PM

sagesnow (2,721 posts)

Here's the straight skinny on Medicare for All The Hightower Lowdown

"How about Lawmaker-Care for the Rest of Us?
Why, you might ask, does Congress hem and haw about restructuring a profiteering corporate healthcare system that is fundamentally corrupt, exorbitantly overpriced, and disastrously unable to meet our people’s health needs? Even though a majority all across the political spectrum has been telling lawmakers in polls, emails, and town hall meetings that fixing America’s broken care system is an urgent priority, lawmakers do nothing … and the problems grow more severe."

"Our country spends the most (more than $10,000 per year, per person) on a system that often delivers the least. (US life expectancy has fallen to the bottom among wealthy nations.)

Most shamefully, roughly a third of the $3.5 trillion we pay into the US system each year is sucked up by corporate paper shuffling, advertising, executive pay and perks, expensive headquarters, and other non-care charges. Canada runs its full-coverage programs with less than half (12%) those administrative expenses."
https://hightowerlowdown.org/article/heres-the-straight-skinny-on-medicare-for-all/

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
Here's the straight skinny on Medicare for All The Hightower Lowdown (Original post)	sagesnow	Jul 2019	OP
Canada has a lot less people than we do. Comparing us to orher	wasupaloopa	Jul 2019	#1
The more people in the system	sagesnow	Jul 2019	#3
There is also a principle called the law of diminishing returns. At some point the cost go up again.	wasupaloopa	Jul 2019	#7
Although MFA would be OK, Hightower is fudging on his Admin costs being 30+%.	Hoyt	Jul 2019	#2
I would like to see some back up of that.	sagesnow	Jul 2019	#4
You do the math, ACA limited overhead to 15% for most insurance plans and Medicare is	Hoyt	Jul 2019	#5
Medical Complexes around here could easily rack up the 30% overhead cost.	sagesnow	Jul 2019	#6
Those won't end under single payer. Docs and facilities will still be competing against each other	Hoyt	Jul 2019	#8

Response to sagesnow (Original post)

Sat Jul 27, 2019, 08:29 PM

wasupaloopa (4,516 posts)

1. Canada has a lot less people than we do. Comparing us to orher

countries should be left out of the argument. Other than they have a different system, most have less people and started their system long ago without a insurance based system to junk.

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Response to wasupaloopa (Reply #1)

Sat Jul 27, 2019, 09:15 PM

sagesnow (2,721 posts)

3. The more people in the system

the lower costs should go. In other words, an economy of scale principle would apply here.

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Response to sagesnow (Reply #3)

Sun Jul 28, 2019, 01:03 AM

wasupaloopa (4,516 posts)

7. There is also a principle called the law of diminishing returns. At some point the cost go up again.

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Response to sagesnow (Original post)

Sat Jul 27, 2019, 08:58 PM

Hoyt (54,770 posts)

2. Although MFA would be OK, Hightower is fudging on his Admin costs being 30+%.

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Response to Hoyt (Reply #2)

Sat Jul 27, 2019, 09:17 PM

sagesnow (2,721 posts)

4. I would like to see some back up of that.

Are you aware of any research or literature about what the administrative costs of Medicare?

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Response to sagesnow (Reply #4)

Sat Jul 27, 2019, 09:35 PM

Hoyt (54,770 posts)

5. You do the math, ACA limited overhead to 15% for most insurance plans and Medicare is

3 to 6% (depending on source).

Get me to one-third with that?

If you want another way to look at it:

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/sep/20/bernie-sanders/comparing-administrative-costs-private-insurance-a/

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Response to Hoyt (Reply #5)

Sat Jul 27, 2019, 09:50 PM

sagesnow (2,721 posts)

6. Medical Complexes around here could easily rack up the 30% overhead cost.

Expenditures on the resplendent buildings, grounds and furnishings has to add to some of the 30% overhead. Expensive advertising and promotion of surgeons and new procedures has to incur added expense that does nothing to improve the health of Americans.

"Most shamefully, roughly a third of the $3.5 trillion we pay into the US system each year is sucked up by corporate paper shuffling, advertising, executive pay and perks, expensive headquarters, and other non-care charges. Canada runs its full-coverage programs with less than half (12%) those administrative expenses." --TheHighTowerLowDown

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Response to sagesnow (Reply #6)

Sun Jul 28, 2019, 10:37 AM

Hoyt (54,770 posts)

8. Those won't end under single payer. Docs and facilities will still be competing against each other

and trying to put more money in their pockets. They'll still have to file claims to M4A, etc. And anyone who thinks complying with Medicare reimbursement and coverage rules is easy, needs to take another look.

Not against M4A, but Hightower is blowing smoke like some of the politicians on how much less it will cost, especially when we pick up the 20+ million uninsured, a bunch of underinsured, and pick up copays and deductibles and maybe dental and vision.

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