(OR) Sen. Jeff Merkeley introduces Medicare for All

[pnwmom]

http://www.kdrv.com/content/video/484004661.html

senator merkley joined leaders of regional health care providers to introduce the choose medicare act. it gives americans the choice of buying medicare as their insurance plan." senator jeff merkley wants to change the way americans can access medicare. senator jeff merkley/ oregon: "a product that americans value for it's high quality and high efficiency." merkley says with this new legislation you wouldn't have to wait until you were 65 to enroll in medicare. employers can also purchase medicare to offer employees. he adds medicare would expand to cover reproductive and pediatric services. merkley says it would operate under medicare part "e" for everyone ...and would be fully paid for by premiums. senator jeff merkley/ oregon: "it has to operate on it's own financial footing and not in anyway affect or take away from the medicare plan that we contribute to through our paychecks." today merkley said he expects insurance companies to oppose the legislation... he thinks it will make a more competitive industry and level the playing field...and local health care providers agree. richard booth/ceo siskiyou community healthy: "i'm looking forward to the day when health care premiums are decreasing due to the creative work being done by all of us that provide healthcare for our communities. sometimes the only way to make this happen is through competition." senator merkley says he plans to educate the public on this option over the next couple months to build support for

[YOHABLO]

1. How about covering dental, eye, and hearing?

[BigmanPigman]

2. Man, he is on the go...

does he wear a red cape and a blue unitard with a giant "S" under his suit? Healthcare and immigrant children, what next?

[trueblue2007]

3. miss spelled his name. it is JEFF MERKELEY and he is from my state Oregon.

[rickford66]

4. Misspelled

[Exotica]

5. LOLOLOL

[pnwmom]

9. Hah. That was a typo. nt

[msongs]

6. great for him. other dems should join him. and add dental as well nt

[Hoyt]

7. Sounds like a Medicare Option to start. With today's political realities, that's a good approach.

Personally, I’d wait to get that before piling on dental, eye care and hearing at the beginning. While I could use all three right now, we’ll never get anything done if we frighten off the fiscal conservatives, not to mention the rabid ignorant white wingers who will object to any social program that actually helps people.

[ooky]

8. Sen. Merkley is very visible this week.

Working to expose the horrors taking place on the border, and introducing Medicare for All. I'm really liking him.

[smirkymonkey]

10. K&R

[Jim Lane]

11. How could such a plan "operate on its own financial footing"?

There would be a reverse cherry-picking effect. A Medicare option would attract people who could pay the least and/or who needed the most expensive care.

The current Medicare model has one similarity to the private, for-profit plans: A large number of people pay into the system, thereby creating a fund that can be used to cover the expenses of the members of the group who need care (sometimes, extremely expensive care). Optional Medicare would let people stay out unless and until they needed the services.

Therefore, it seems that it couldn't "be fully paid for by premiums." It wouldn't work without significant government subsidies.

[pnwmom]

12. Maybe it would have subsidies like Obamacare does. If people were doing it instead of Obamacare,

it wouldn't have to cost anymore .

[Jim Lane]

13. That would make sense but the OP excerpt seems to imply no subsidies. (n/t)