2009 Bernie Sanders: "Medicare For All Single payer will eventually prevail"

[Donkees]

https://www.c-span.org/video/?290733-4/senator-sanders-amendment-withdrawal

DECEMBER 16, 2009
Senator Sanders After Amendment Withdrawal Senator Bernie Sanders spoke about withdrawing his amendment to create a single-payer health care system by expanding Medicare to all. He made the move after Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn required that the entire amendment be read. Senator Sanders stopped the reading nearly three hours into it.

[radical noodle]

1. How is Medicare for all equal to single payer?

What am I missing?

[zipplewrath]

3. Too literal

They both make a basic reference to control of the insurance system by the federal government. The exact structure is debatable, but ultimately the federal government will control the whole "market" so they can control the costs and methods of health CARE. Personally, I suspect it will be neither by a strict definition of either. I suspect various portions of the population will be handled by various systems depending upon their particular situation. But all the bills will ultimately be paid by the government. (One exception, I suspect the "1%" will always be allowed to spend additional monies to be allowed to be treated "uniquely".)

[radical noodle]

4. What about Medicare supplements

that are purchased through insurance companies? Many of us couldn't afford medical expenses without the supplements.

[zipplewrath]

5. May or may not

That may, or may not, be a feature. If it is decided to do means testing then these kinds of features may be present. Alternately, it may be decided that those features merely drive up the cost of health care so it will be eliminated.

[radical noodle]

6. Super

Then you'll start to see a lot of seniors VERY unhappy and unable to afford their own healthcare.

[YOHABLO]

7. Medicare should cover dental, and it only covers about 80%. Still leaves us hanging.

[Me.]

2. Good To Post LawMakers Speaking In Their Own Words

Here Is another....

Rep. John Conyers on single-payer healthcare 5/09