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Medicare for all has become the catchword of the Left, but what is it? Is is REALLY Medicare for everyone, $144.00 a month premium for every man woman and child to cover 80% of specific visits, tests, hospital stays procedures? No Dental, Vision, Drugs, etc?
Or is it just a medical "Free For All", no resemblance to Medicare and no restrictions?
I don't know but I didn't really understand one thing about Medicare for all. 160 million will get kicked off private health care if they ever did this. Those policies pay at a higher rate than Medicare (which is what I didn't realize) so the system will crash because facilities will get paid much less overall and demand will skyrocket.
A few things quoted from the article to point out for those who don't have the time to read it -
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Sanders’ and Jayapal's bills (S. 1129 and H.R. 1384, respectively) share many similarities, such as:
comprehensive benefits
tax financed
a replacement for all private health insurance, as well as the current Medicare program
lifetime enrollment
no premiums
all state-licensed, certified providers who meet eligible standards can apply
How, exactly, would Medicare for All work?
Right now, multiple groups pay for healthcare. That includes private health insurance companies, employers, and the government, through programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Single-payer is an umbrella term for multiple approaches. In essence, single-payer means your taxes would cover health expenses for the whole population, according to a definition of the term from the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The objective is for a single publicly funded health system, like that in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The Commonwealth Fund reports the United States ranks last “on measures of quality, efficiency, access to care, equity, and the ability to lead long, healthy, and productive lives.” This is compared to six other major industrialized countries — Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Another dubious honor for the United States? The system here is by far the most expensive.
What might out-of-pocket costs look like for different income brackets?
Despite what some online conspiracy theories warn, “under the Sanders and Jayapal bills, there would be virtually no out-of-pocket costs for healthcare-related expenses,” Keith said. “The bills would prohibit deductibles, coinsurance, co-pays, and surprise medical bills for healthcare services and items covered under Medicare for All.”...The Sanders bill allows for very limited out-of-pocket costs of up to $200 per year for prescription drugs, but that doesn’t apply to individuals or families with an income under 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Will you be able to keep your doctor?
The good news is that “the Medicare for All bills generally build on the current provider system, so doctors and hospitals that already accept Medicare could likely continue to do so,” Keith said. What isn’t clear yet is whether all providers would choose to participate in the program since they currently won’t be required to do so. “The bills include a ‘private pay’ option where providers and individuals could come up with their own arrangement to pay for healthcare, but this would be outside of the Medicare for All program, and they would have to follow certain requirements before doing so,” explained Keith.
Will private insurance still be available?
Neither Sanders and Jayapal bills, nor proposals like Warren’s, would allow private health insurance to operate the way it does now. In fact, the current Sanders and Jayapal bills “would prohibit employers and insurance companies from offering insurance that covers the same benefits that would be provided under the Medicare for All program,” Keith said. “In other words, insurers couldn’t offer coverage that would duplicate the benefits and services of Medicare for All.”
Will preexisting conditions be covered?
Yes. Under the Affordable Care Act, a health insurer can’t refuse to give you coverage because of a health issue you already have. That includes cancer, diabetes, asthma, and even high blood pressure. Medicare for All plans will operate in the same way as the ACA (in terms of pre-existing conditions)
Will Medicare for All solve all the problems of our healthcare system?
“The honest, although somewhat dissatisfying answer at this stage is ‘It depends,’” said Keith.
“This would be a brand new, very ambitious program that would require a lot of changes in the way healthcare is paid for in the United States. There are likely to be at least some unintended consequences and other costs in the form of higher taxes, at least for some people,” she said.
But if the bills work as well in real life as they look on paper? “People would be insulated from out-of-pocket costs like high prescription costs and surprise hospital bills,” Keith said.
How will Medicare for All be financed?
Medicare for All would be funded by the federal government, using money that otherwise would go to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs that pay for health services.
But when you get right down to it, the funding for all the plans comes down to taxes.
With Medicare for All proposals, some portion of the money you’re now paying toward health insurance would be shifted to taxes. (see additional link below)
Will quality of care go down?
“The rhetorical response to single-payer health insurance is that it’s government-controlled healthcare. It’s then used to argue that the government would be making important decisions about the care you get and don’t get, and who you see,” Weil said.
But Medicare for All could actually give you more choice than private insurance.
“With Medicare, you can go to any doctor,” Weil said. “I have private insurance and have a lot more restrictions as to who I see.”
Take a look here to see how medicare for all would affect your current taxes and health insurance costs.
I currently live in a country that has a similar program, funded through taxation. I also pay 37€ per month for a private policy that includes dental, vision, and most specialist visits.
Last edited by wikiwikirunner; 03-09-2020 at 08:44 AM..
A few things quoted from the article to point out for those who don't have the time to read it -
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Sanders’ and Jayapal's bills (S. 1129 and H.R. 1384, respectively) share many similarities, such as:
comprehensive benefits
tax financed
a replacement for all private health insurance, as well as the current Medicare program
lifetime enrollment
no premiums
all state-licensed, certified providers who meet eligible standards can apply
How, exactly, would Medicare for All work?
Right now, multiple groups pay for healthcare. That includes private health insurance companies, employers, and the government, through programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Single-payer is an umbrella term for multiple approaches. In essence, single-payer means your taxes would cover health expenses for the whole population, according to a definition of the term from the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The objective is for a single publicly funded health system, like that in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The Commonwealth Fund reports the United States ranks last “on measures of quality, efficiency, access to care, equity, and the ability to lead long, healthy, and productive lives.” This is compared to six other major industrialized countries — Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Another dubious honor for the United States? The system here is by far the most expensive.
What might out-of-pocket costs look like for different income brackets?
Despite what some online conspiracy theories warn, “under the Sanders and Jayapal bills, there would be virtually no out-of-pocket costs for healthcare-related expenses,” Keith said. “The bills would prohibit deductibles, coinsurance, co-pays, and surprise medical bills for healthcare services and items covered under Medicare for All.”...The Sanders bill allows for very limited out-of-pocket costs of up to $200 per year for prescription drugs, but that doesn’t apply to individuals or families with an income under 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Will you be able to keep your doctor?
The good news is that “the Medicare for All bills generally build on the current provider system, so doctors and hospitals that already accept Medicare could likely continue to do so,” Keith said. What isn’t clear yet is whether all providers would choose to participate in the program since they currently won’t be required to do so. “The bills include a ‘private pay’ option where providers and individuals could come up with their own arrangement to pay for healthcare, but this would be outside of the Medicare for All program, and they would have to follow certain requirements before doing so,” explained Keith.
Will private insurance still be available?
Neither Sanders and Jayapal bills, nor proposals like Warren’s, would allow private health insurance to operate the way it does now. In fact, the current Sanders and Jayapal bills “would prohibit employers and insurance companies from offering insurance that covers the same benefits that would be provided under the Medicare for All program,” Keith said. “In other words, insurers couldn’t offer coverage that would duplicate the benefits and services of Medicare for All.”
Will preexisting conditions be covered?
Yes. Under the Affordable Care Act, a health insurer can’t refuse to give you coverage because of a health issue you already have. That includes cancer, diabetes, asthma, and even high blood pressure. Medicare for All plans will operate in the same way as the ACA (in terms of pre-existing conditions)
Will Medicare for All solve all the problems of our healthcare system?
“The honest, although somewhat dissatisfying answer at this stage is ‘It depends,’” said Keith.
“This would be a brand new, very ambitious program that would require a lot of changes in the way healthcare is paid for in the United States. There are likely to be at least some unintended consequences and other costs in the form of higher taxes, at least for some people,” she said.
But if the bills work as well in real life as they look on paper? “People would be insulated from out-of-pocket costs like high prescription costs and surprise hospital bills,” Keith said.
How will Medicare for All be financed?
Medicare for All would be funded by the federal government, using money that otherwise would go to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs that pay for health services.
But when you get right down to it, the funding for all the plans comes down to taxes.
With Medicare for All proposals, some portion of the money you’re now paying toward health insurance would be shifted to taxes. (see additional link below)
Will quality of care go down?
“The rhetorical response to single-payer health insurance is that it’s government-controlled healthcare. It’s then used to argue that the government would be making important decisions about the care you get and don’t get, and who you see,” Weil said.
But Medicare for All could actually give you more choice than private insurance.
“With Medicare, you can go to any doctor,” Weil said. “I have private insurance and have a lot more restrictions as to who I see.”
Take a look here to see how medicare for all would affect your current taxes and health insurance costs.
I currently live in a country that has a similar program, funded through taxation. I also pay 37€ per month for a private policy that includes dental, vision, and most specialist visits.
Thanks for the detailed explanation.
So in other words there is no resemblance to our present Medicare.
Questions no answered, what are the limits both for treatment and drugs? Are prices going to be set like our present day Medicare or is the gate going to be left open to gouge the system both on treatment and on drugs?
Thanks for the detailed explanation.
So in other words there is no resemblance to our present Medicare.
Questions no answered, what are the limits both for treatment and drugs? Are prices going to be set like our present day Medicare or is the gate going to be left open to gouge the system both on treatment and on drugs?
I'm currently wrapped up with something else but I'll do some research and try to provide an answer later, because this would be something good to know
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