Since the public option is still undefined, why not make it Medicare?

[andym]

Make the public option Medicare with a twist.
1) It should be optional. (NOT like Medicare for All bill)

2) It should cost more for people under 65, premiums to based on income in such a way that the program would actually take in more money per person than it does now and have a surplus-- elderly will be happy that more money is in "their" program. Younger healthier people use less health care. NO payroll tax increase written into the bill. Subsidize the poor.

3) It should compete with private insurance at the exchanges.

4) Supplementary insurance could be made available for those who want it (as is now the case with Medicare). An avenue for the private sector to still make money, if they're reasonable.

5) Structure is already in place. No need to waste money creating a new bureaucracy.

Advantages:
People are familiar with it and do not consider it radical change-- even some conservative citizens are apparently OK with Medicare. It may actually be easier to pass.

If it is better than the private insurance policies, it will be a clear demonstration that in direct competition with private enterprise the government can do better and be more efficient, spelling doom for the Republicans for a long time.

It will shut down many of the crazy talking points out there today.

Is there any way to convince the House or Senate to make this "little" substitution? I suppose it would be difficult at this late date, but it could be pitched as a "compromise." (to give citizens something they're familiar with). Which Senators might like this-- Gillibrand, Sanders?

[Cleita]

1. But...but...but...the insurance companies and HMOs

won't be able to get that taxpayers money for themselves like the god of capitalism intended. :sarcasm:

[Faryn Balyncd]

2. You have a point. Trying to achieve multiple agendas has made it easier for the fear-mongers.

[DrToast]

3. They tried that

The original public option in the HELP bill was basically medicare-lite.

[Faryn Balyncd]

4. Maybe we should go back to supporting a good bill, rather than falling for what's becoming a bait &

....switch.

[DrToast]

7. Sounds good to me. n/t

[wroberts189]

11. You read me mind mate. nt

[still_one]

5. because it is too simple, and both parties are on the take, and we are going to get screwed again

Congress killed over 100 thousand people in Iraq, because they didn't do their jog, why would I expect anything else from this current group since many were the same people in Congress back then as now

[Eric J in MN]

6. Blue Dog Mike Ross explains:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/07/top-blue-dog-boasts-we-he_n_253967.html

"We ensured that if there is a government option, it will be just that -- an option -- and it won't be mandated on anybody. If it had been based on Medicare rates, I can assure you that it would have eventually ended up resulting in a single payer-type system, because Medicare has really good rates, because they're negotiating for every senior in America. Private insurance companies could not have competed with that. And so we would have at the end of the day ended up with single payer. Now we've leveled the playing field, if there is a government option they'll have to go out again and negotiate with providers just like private insurance companies do. That was important to me to insure that we don't end up with some type of single payer system."


(I'm opposed to Mike Ross' actions on this.)

[TahitiNut]

8. "Medicare has really good rates" AND it covers the health care costs of the OLDEST people.

This is what absolutely slays me. When folks are talking about "health care reform," they're talking about folks under 65 years old almost exclusively. As an age stratum, NOBODY costs more than seniors. Yet the GOP elephants rear up and yell "mouse!!" about the premium rates being lower than an insurance company could offer?? Bullshit! Total. Unadulterated Bullshit.

[heidler1]

9. I'm 84 Y.O. and on a Senior supplemental HMO. The Gov. takes about $100. per MO. out of my S.S. Chec...

Then the Gov. gives the HMO that I select about $600. a month. and I pay various co-pay amounts as per the rules of that HMO. The HMO that I selected is a non profit. The exact amount of the $600. is determined by what it costs the Gov. to take care of someone, in that zip code, who is on direct Medicare minus 5 or 10%. Being on direct Medicare forces the patient to find a Doctor or Hospital that will service his/her needs for what Medicare pays for that service, which is hard to find. If you are in Hospice care the HMO do not have to accept you, otherwise they do.

I have Atrial Fibrillation and the heart specialist wanted to give me a stress test, it's expensive, so far it has not been approved. It so happens that I've gotten over this last episode and don't really care.

[wroberts189]

10. knr .. I will knr any thread advocating single payer.

And I am not on anyone's payroll.