Time to reframe the Health Crisis. Time for MEDICARE for ALL

[newmac]

Public option? Public toilet? Throw away the awful political language.

Reframe the debate; start over; call it MEDICARE for ALL


The "health" insurance industry is running on ill gotten gains. Let it die.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Got my vote!

[zaj]

2. Absolute NOT!

If you are going to reframe the debate, don't walk right into a landmine along the way.

It's "Medicare for ANYONE".

[frazzled]

3. But the public option is nothing like Medicare

None of the 5 bills (3 in the House, 2 in the Senate) has a public option that looks anything like Medicare.

For Medicare, we have payroll taxes deducted our entire working lives, and then at age 65 become eligible to sign up (you must sign up for Part A). Medicare Part A (hospitalization) is essentially covered for most people. If you want Part B, which pays for parts of doctor's visits, tests, and other ancillary things, you pay a premium. You pay another premium to get prescription drug coverage (through private insurers).

The public option is essentially just a non-profit health-insurance plan run by the government. If you choose it, you pay premiums every month just like with private insurance. It is anticipated to be about 20% cheaper than for-profit insurance. But it is not like Medicare.

So stop getting your information from Keith Olbermann, who honestly doesn't understand the legislation.

If you want to scotch the last 6 or 7 months of legislative brouhaha and start all over again, we could talk about Medicare for All. But that is not what is on the table.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. Fine. So call it Medicare for anyone who wants to pay their premiums into it.

I would pay 2-3x my COBRA (subsidized 65% right now) to know that I can use it without being afraid of being dropped. Oh, and I am in my 40s.

Dr Dean is promoting the same concept, but for 50+