As Dems debate Medicare for All, a less radical idea stalls in blue states

[brooklynite]

Politico

This was supposed to be the year blue states created government-run health insurance plans, after health care-fueled midterm election victories.

But legislation around the country to craft a so-called public option — a longtime progressive goal — has stalled over political and financial roadblocks, underscoring the challenge of creating coverage expansions even less comprehensive than the "Medicare for All" plan championed by Democratic presidential contenders and progressives in Congress.

Legislative proposals in New Mexico, Nevada and other states to set up a public option to give people more choices — and insurers more competition — have been watered down or shelved as lawmakers struggle to design affordable plans building on Obamacare. And multiple Democratic governors who backed the idea during their campaigns haven’t pushed it since taking office.

“When you’re dealing with a new issue — and this is a new idea — the biggest problem around the idea is one of cost," said former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, a Democrat. "Where is the money going to come from? And obviously every politician is concerned about that, rightfully so."

[doompatrol39]

1. I live in one of the bluest state in the nation....

...and was so excited when we got our Dem governor and big majorities in the state legislatures.

But all the stuff that was promised with a Dem majority (healthcare improvements/expansion, pot legalization, and increased taxes on the wealthy have all gone down in flames due to.....wait for it.......Democratic obstruction.

And of course all the usual "independent" types who ended up voting for Dems are now going "See, just as bad....can't even get anything done with a big majority in the state".

It sucks.

[JayhawkSD]

3. Because when you actually do the numbers on "increased taxes on the wealthy"

you find out that while the idea of it makes us feel good, and talking about it gets us votes, if done it wouldn't raise enough money to actually do anything.

If we make those "increased taxes on the wealthy" big enough to even come close to actually doing anything, then the wealthy will quit donating money to our reelection campaigns, which is what got us the "big majorities" in the state legislatures to begin with.

I'm not criticizing anybody, but that's just the way things work. You don't bite the hand that feeds you, and "increased taxes on the wealthy" would be biting the hand that feeds you. And yet without more money you can't do all the other nice stuff.

[doompatrol39]

4. I get that, but if it gets us votes..

...especially in certain states....and we don't do it, then we lose all credibility.

If what you are saying is true then we might as well just throw in the fucking towel.

But on the other hand marijuana legalization would have bought in quite a bit of additional revenue and Dems are blocking that as well.

Just like on a national level, "We'll be as progressive as our most conservative member allows us to be." Doesn't exactly light fires under people. And that's just the way things work too.

[JayhawkSD]

6. Oh good, another voice for hypocrisy.

If it gets us more votes we should do it. It doesn't matter that we aren't going to actually do anything that we're saying we will do, we only need to sound good so that we can get more votes.

[doompatrol39]

7. No, I'm saying we should say it AND do it...

Otherwise the people who say that we are just as bought and sold as Republicans will be right.

[Mr Tibbs]

8. That isn't what's proposed

Look for yourself

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/options-to-finance-medicare-for-all?inline=file

[UniteFightBack]

2. What happened to fixing the ACA? Why can't we fix that?? Why the leap to this? I think it is a

HUGE MISTAKE.

[Mr Tibbs]

10. Incrementalism doesn't work

[loyalsister]

5. Says the guy whose state has benefited from the best predictor of success of MFA

Kentucky has been one of the most successful states in reducing its uninsured rate through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — both by expanding Medicaid and adopting a state-run health insurance marketplace (Kentucky still technically has a state-run marketplace, but they began using HealthCare.gov’s enrollment platform in 2017).

Source: https://www.healthinsurance.org/kentucky-medicaid/

[pecosbob]

9. I thought the public option was a originally conservative proposal during the Clinton years

a conservative stopgap to forestall the imminent arrival of Medicaire For All or some other universal health care proposal. The public option was dusted off again during the Obama term when Dems allowed the Republicans to move the goalposts at the very beginning of the health-care debate.

Doesn't seem it was ever a 'progressive' goal to me...

[Recursion]

11. These always fall down on the rocks of taxing the middle class

It sounds great to "tax the wealthy" but there just aren't enough of them. Confiscate the entire Koch fortune and you fund Medicare as it exists for about 3 weeks (that's without adding other people to it).

If we're going to actually do universal healthcare, we're going to have to actually pay for it the way the rest of the world does: by taxing the middle class, probably through a VAT. And nobody wants to do that.