Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumHere's what Bernie Sanders' 'Medicare for All' proposal actually says
By Zachary B. Wolf, Tami Luhby and Curt Merrill, CNN
Published March 2, 2020
The Medicare for All plan would leave intact the current infrastructure of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, but nationalize the health insurance industry. Nearly all the money individuals and employers currently pay into the system as well as much of the money states pay would, under Sanders plan, instead go through the federal government.
The first thing to note is that Sanders proposal has only 14 co-sponsors in the Senate. Thats not even a majority of Democrats. Thats less than a third of the 60 votes usually required to overcome a filibuster and pass major legislation, although he has said he would support ending the practice of the filibuster in order to get Medicare for All passed.
In Sanders proposal, everyone who is a US resident, including undocumented immigrants, gets coverage. That would be a likely point of contention with this plan. There is a prohibition on traveling to the US for free medical care.
(lots more, with details and links to the bill)
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/03/politics/medicare-for-all-annotated/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Under The Radar
(3,406 posts)Insurance, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, clinics and healthcare professionals all must be part of a public/private partnership or completely under government control in order to be affordable.
There seems to be a huge ripoff of government programs through private healthcare facilities, price increases and charges that exceed common sense.
Unless Bernie floods the field with auditors and inspectors, single payer will fail simply from Uncontrollable profiteers and the republicans fingerpointing and false panic before any meaningful changes can be made.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Kashkakat v.2.0
(1,752 posts)Reagan when health care was allowed to be privatized and for profit. Thats really not that long ago, Im constantly astounded that people have forgotten it didnt always used to be how it is now.
Before that - hospitals and clinics were owned and operated by municipalities, churches, universities, and private non-profit entities.
Going back to pre Reagan regulation of health care industry would be a huge improvement and might be an easier sell than switching to some nationalized Euro style system.
Of course the insanely profitable health care industry would fight it tooth and nail. Now that the profit (aka greed) genie is out of the bottle, its not going to go back in willingly... no matter what system it is.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
LizBeth
(9,953 posts)that would be put on our HC system if it were free. Not arguing a right to care or not, but with a disease like coronavirus would have the hospitals flooded with people getting testing and whether our system could handle it. There would have to be a whole restructuring of the current system beyond the paying for it and getting the votes.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden