Quote:
Originally Posted by citidata18
Where is your proof to back up your bolded assertions about the study in the OP?
|
They were too busy backing Billary in 2016 to make this claim in favor of Bernie, but Billary isn't running now.
And, yes, this same Bill comes up every year since it was first introduced in 2012 I think it was.
Quote:
Originally Posted by citidata18
BTW, no one's disputing the $32 Trillion price tag. In fact, the Koch Brothers' study that also reached the conclusion of there being a $32 Trillion price tag says Medicare for All would be cheaper than the current system by at least $2 Trillion.
|
Did you read the study? Did you understand what you read?
Their conclusions are not drawn from facts, rather they're based on assumptions.
Their primary assumption is that consumption of healthcare will only increase 12% over the entire 10 year period.
That is a patently absurd assumption.
I'm sure some idiot will open their festering gob and say b-b-b-b-but only 8.8% of Americans are uninsured.
That idiot did not read the Bill and doesn't understand it.
The Bill expands coverage, and I don't mean for people, I mean for medical treatments, procedures and such that aren't currently covered by private insurance or Medicare or Medicaid.
That alone will increase consumption by 18%.
The Bill provides comprehensive mental health services.
That will increase consumption, too. Mental health isn't a one-shot deal. You don't go to a therapist once and that's it. You go weekly or bi-weekly for months and years even.
It provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment. It also provides coverage for services not currently covered such as dental, vision, hearing and podiatry.
Dental coverage is 100% comprehensive. It includes everything except cosmetic dentistry.
Consumption is going to increase 40% to 50% over the next 10 years, not 12%.
The study also claims costs will decrease 19% which is another fantasy.
First, they're just plain wrong. Administrative costs by government are not cheaper.
That's just disingenuous sleight of hand.
When you look at costs per enrollee, Medicare administrative costs, Medicaid administrative costs and VA administrative costs are higher than the private sector. Most studies calculate private sector costs by subtracting claims paid from premiums received, but they don't consider the fact that insurance companies pay regulatory fees to the States.
The study also claims that 19% reduction comes from negotiating prescription drug prices for a reduction of 42%.
The strange thing is the study states in no uncertain terms it costs $2.9 Billion to bring one drug to the market. That does not include future litigation costs for the drug.
You can't slash drug prices 42% without also negatively impacting Research & Development for new drugs, which, by the way, actually reduce medical costs.
The remainder is supposedly due to lower reimbursement rates to medical care providers, which will be 40% lower than Medicare currently pays.
If you trust the American Hospital Association -- I don't, but many of you worship them and kiss their asses -- in 2014, hospitals were reimbursed 89% for Medicare and 90% for Medicaid patients and those losses were offset by billing private insurance at higher rates at 144% of costs.
See: American Hospital Association,
TrendWatch Chartbook 2016:
Trends Affecting Hospitals and Health Systems, 2016 (specifically look in the appendix at Table 4.4).
If you believe that to be true, and I believe it to be at least true in part, then government is actually driving up the cost of healthcare.
In other words, private insurance is subsidizing the true cost of Medicare and Medicaid.
That means we're all being screwed every which way but loose.
I do trust CMS, and if you read
Projected Medicare Expenditures (Office of the Actuary) published June 5, 2018, then 80% of hospitals are losing money on Medicare patients.
Bernie's Medicare-for-All cuts payments even more.
The study's claim that money will be saved is pure bull-****.
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.
