Thom Hartmann: Medicare "Part E" meaning "Everybody" - MUST-READ

[democrat2thecore]

from Thom Hartmann:

Let’s use Medicare, which nearly every American understands. Just create “Medicare Part E” where the “E” represents “everybody.” Just let any citizen in the US buy into Medicare.

It would be so easy. No need to reinvent the wheel with this so-called “public option” that’s a whole new program from the ground up. Medicare already exists. It works. Some people will like it, others won’t – just like the Post Office versus FedEx analogy the President is so comfortable with.

Just pass a simple bill – it could probably be just a few lines, like when Medicare was expanded to include disabled people – that says that any American citizen can buy into the program at a rate to be set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which reflects the actual cost for us to buy into it.

The rest is here: http://www.thomhartmann.com/2009/09/09/medicare-part-e-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Ceverybody%E2%80%9D/

His point that this whole Public Option with exchanges (however you define all this) is the truly "from the ground up" program. When the president said that a single-payer system would require a system "from scratch" is an old Republican talking-point(!) Single-Payer means simply expanding an already existing program - Medicare!

[Overseas]

1. K&R. That's the public option I want.

And dropping the Bush tax cuts to pay to subsidize others who can't afford to pay to opt in.

[rateyes]

2. The Medicare for All Option.

Right On!!

[democrat2thecore]

3. Exactly - and that's not "from scratch!"

As Hartmann says - it's simple. Everybody understands it. If it's good enough for ages 85 and 75 and 65, it's good enough for 45, 35 and 25!

[uponit7771]

4. On THIS point I agree with Thom, if Obama reaches another sticking point cause the M$M cant read

...or jus starting to lie it's ass off then call it medicare part E and make KKKons fight medicare.

[democrat2thecore]

5. A reply to his article (from his site) is BEAUTIFUL!

I loved this! An analogy that makes a hell of a lot of sense! Here it is:

The medical insurance industry is nothing but a money handler. I call them nothing but billers.

It’s like a lawyer has a secretary and she(the secretary) starts billing HIS (the lawyer’s) clients for her time to bill them. She charges more and more until the lawyer’s clients are paying her as much as the lawyer. Finally at one point the secretary quits her job, gets a fancy office and hires a lawyer to be HER employee.

It’s really weird and it’s a racket. When you add in the life or death decisions the Medical insurance industry brings to the mix, its a deadly racket. Killing for a living.

Just what all will we submit to at the demand of a self appointed, killer-for-greed, fallacious authority figure. Further, that fallacious authority figure has no real authority outside of the power of their money. Not legal, not moral, not anything. Because what they do is absolutely crime on the level of an individual. i cannot neglect my dying mother to expedite my inheritance without being considered a criminal.

The whole arrangement is based on a fallacy of authority that is literally breaking the laws that pertain to all other business and people. We are hypnotized by a lie. Hypnotized into believing we are to do as we’re told like children in a classroom run by an enormous and cruel tyrant. The Milgram Experiment at the National Level.

[tex-wyo-dem]

6. This is the option we need to push!

It's simple and something that just about everybody can understand. Even the nutbag townhaller teabaggers have vehemently supported Medicare ("Don't touch my Medicare!!!"). And even if the rethugs decide to block this public option, the Dems can pass it as a budgetary measure in reconciliation.

[democrat2thecore]

13. Nobody could misunderstand! -nt

[polichick]

7. It really would be the simplest and fairest way - so why...

...doesn't the president and Congress support it? Is is just that they're all bought off by the insurers and big pharma?

[democrat2thecore]

8. I think you hit the nail on the head

Those people have to spend a ridiculous amount of time raising money for their re-election bids. These lobbyists hang tons of $$$$$$ over their heads to, frankly, look the other way.

[polichick]

9. It's just so disturbing to have finally elected so many Dems...

...only to have them be the same corrupt trough-feeders as Republicans.

[tex-wyo-dem]

10. Disturbing is putting it mildly...

As Thom Hartmann put it, our representatives might as well where NASCAR uniforms and just advertise whatever corporation they've sold out to.

I may be wrong, but if the Dems push this through reconciliation, we may not even need the blue dogs to come along to successfully pass the measure (anyone correct me if I'm wrong).

[polichick]

12. HA! Love that about the NASCAR uniforms! nt

[democrat2thecore]

16. Can't you picture little vests of some sort with logos for sale? -nt

[polichick]

19. That would be perfect - and way more honest! nt

[democrat2thecore]

17. Well, and since you posted this it looks like Nancy Pelosi may be caving - so, so sad. -nt

[polichick]

18. If they cave on the po, we'll have to kick the bums out - Pelosi, Obama, all of 'em. nt

[valerief]

11. I want that, too!!!!!

:woohoo:

[jodylehrer]

14. For my first post on DU,

let me endorse one of Thom Hartmann's best ideas.

Also let me point out that he's had many excellent ideas.

[democrat2thecore]

15. Welcome to DU! I agree with you about Thom.

He's not afraid of Big ANYTHING.

[democrat2thecore]

20. K&R for Thom's common sense solution -nt