Let’s expand Medicare to cover all Americans (Congress, wages, drugs)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As Congress and the White House labor to finalize an $800 billion economic stimulus package that includes stopgap measures to plug the holes in our collapsing health care system and our fraying public safety net, there’s at least one other approach they should consider.
With one bold move, we could repair our broken health care system and take a major step on the road to economic recovery by expanding and upgrading Medicare to cover all Americans. And it would not even cost much more than we are spending on health care today.
For just $63 billion beyond current health care spending – the cost of extending Medicare to all, according to a new California Nurses Association study – we would create 2.6 million new jobs, effectively replacing every job lost in America in 2008, and make a major dent in the sobering layoff reports we see on our front pages every day.
As Congress and the White House labor to finalize an $800 billion economic stimulus package that includes stopgap measures to plug the holes in our collapsing health care system and our fraying public safety net, there’s at least one other approach they should consider.
With one bold move, we could repair our broken health care system and take a major step on the road to economic recovery by expanding and upgrading Medicare to cover all Americans. And it would not even cost much more than we are spending on health care today.
For just $63 billion beyond current health care spending – the cost of extending Medicare to all, according to a new California Nurses Association study – we would create 2.6 million new jobs, effectively replacing every job lost in America in 2008, and make a major dent in the sobering layoff reports we see on our front pages every day.
Sounds really great. Now do you think that we need to charge the same rate to those who are on your program the same as those of us on Medicare pay? I think that I have about $115 withheld from my SS check each month. That would mean a family of 4 could get the service for $460. Now that would be a great deal but how many of them won't pay for that? How many who refuse to have health insurance so they can have a better lifestyle would want to pay even that paltry $115 per month.
I think your California nurses are members of some kind of union, at least it sounds like it.
uhh, no thanks. Right now my copay for my meds is 75.00 of a total of 2400.00 per month. Medicare uses a % base pay for tier 4 drugs (which my Copaxone is) that cost is 30% of the total, which would be 720.00 / month, surprisingly, my private coverage will allow me to EAT instead of putting a great portion of my take home pay to make sure my MS does not progress quickly.
uhh, no thanks. Right now my copay for my meds is 75.00 of a total of 2400.00 per month. Medicare uses a % base pay for tier 4 drugs (which my Copaxone is) that cost is 30% of the total, which would be 720.00 / month, surprisingly, my private coverage will allow me to EAT instead of putting a great portion of my take home pay to make sure my MS does not progress quickly.
I think the basic idea is for people who are happy with their health insurance to keep what they have. For people who are not satisfied, and for the millions who lack coverage at all, to have the opportunity to obtain the same coverage provided to federal employees.
Cool! The other trillions of indebtedness wasn't enough.... pile more on. Unless you believe somehow adding more people into the system will be cheaper... 2+2=3
It's an interesting idea - Medicare does have much lower administration costs than private health care.
By my figuring, $63 bn / 300 mil people = $210 per person. We currently pay 1.45% payroll tax for Medicare, so if the Medicare tax were raised to 4%, a $10/hr employee would pay over $800 annually - enough to cover an additional 3 people, basically.
Another thing that could help, if we were to cover everyone who wanted it, would be that Medicare needs to be allowed to negotiate bulk rates for pharmaceuticals. It is shameful that the largest insurer in the US cannot negotiate rates, and therefore pays more than other countries for the very same drugs made by the very same manufacturers.
One problem is the low reimbursement rates for providers. The rates from private insurance companies aren't all that high either (ever look at your EOBs?), but I understand that Medicare pays less. This could be somewhat mitigated by the reduction in paperwork needed, since more people would be covered under one provider.
Anyway, it's certainly an idea worth discussing, especially if it can be made to pay for itself.
Health insurance companies providing less and with increasing discrimination for skyrocketing costs is not sustainable. Costs have risen 4x's as fast as wages over the last decade. 5x's as fast in Florida.
All it takes is one accident or one major illness to absolutely financially ruin a person or a family. And I'm talking about people with insurance as well as those without. I can't see how anyone could advocate we stay on the same path we have been going down in regards to healthcare. I think the OP's suggestion is worth considering.
If limiting services and participants and increasing prices is bad. How are you going to force more of any of the previous mentioned and make it cheaper?
Services = 2
Participants = 2
Prices = 2
Adjust and tell me what the results turn out to be? Hint: they are all intertwined.
At least expand it to cover all children under 18. Yes it would require taxes to be raised but on the plus side employee insurance costs to business would go down. ( For the business's that provide that benefit now) ....Once Americans see this program they will never go back to the status quo.
Also they need to increase decrease the barriers to entry into the medical field. We need more doctors inparticular. And make medications much more available without having to go thru a doctor or pharmacist....These professions are just protecting their pocket books in many cases.
At least expand it to cover all children under 18. Yes it would require taxes to be raised but on the plus side employee insurance costs to business would go down. ( For the business that provide that benefit now) ....Once Americans see this program they will never go back to the status quo.
For the few that can provide for themselves.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
For the few that can provide for themselves.
