I like this idea from Howard Dean "open up eligibility to Medicare (now) for people over 50" LINK

[Blackhatjack]

http://pr.thinkprogress.org/

"Even if Democrats pass health reform with a public option, it won't be up and running until 2013. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean suggested that Democrats should open up eligibility to Medicare for people over age 50 so that a "'certain mass' of people will already have benefit from health reform" by the 2010 elections."

[omega minimo]

1. Sounds like Dr. Dean is seeking solutions that help the American people, which will help Democrats

[Cleita]

2. What I would like even better is opening it up to everyone who has

FICA deducted from their paychecks. They are paying into and should be able to access it if they choose.

[joeycola]

8. good thinking. write to dean about it.

[Warpy]

3. Dean is so right about this one

and even if they only dropped the age 5 years or so, people would see that immediate benefit he's talking about instead of waiting and dying for another four years.

If people don't see an immediate benefit, there will be blowback in 2010.

Count on it.

[alsame]

4. I've been hoping that something like this would enter the discussion,

it makes so much sense in terms of expanded coverage and adding needed funds into Medicare.

[YOY]

5. Doesn't help everyone who needs it but it's a start.

n/t

[joeycola]

6. I have passed this around to all I know and to my congress critters. Hope you all do. Thanks

[Blackhatjack]

7. It would become an 'object lesson' for everyone else... reduce fears and people would want it.

AMazing how something so simple could be accomplished and have a great effect on the 'red herrings' that the Repubs and their healthcare lobbyist backers are pushing.

[dgillam1975]

9. Sounds like HD is fishing for votes

Not actually caring about the public.

I agree with Cleita. Rather than completely rewriting healthcare/health insurance, why not simply expand medicare/aid so that anyone paying in can use it as a primary form of insurance.

Both sides would rather perpetuate the argument than find solutions, because keeping you hating the other side is what keeps the oligarchy in power.

[Overseas]

10. Yes. Age is my horrible pre-existing condition.

Age alone makes my premiums cost employers 300% more than that of a 30-something.

I haven't heard the reform advocates talk about eliminating age discrimination in insurance policies. It was supposed to be that the premiums from the healthier youngsters who don't use much medical care would balance out the older people in the insurance pool. But that's been gone for a while now.

To make things worse, while insurance premiums for younger workers are upped by decade, once you hit 50 then they bump things up again at 55 and again at 60, squeezing every dollar out of you until you escape into that darned single payer option, Medicare.

[kestrel91316]

11. YEAH!!!!! (Disclaimer: I am 52 and uninsured due to cost)

[MarjorieG]

12. I've been saying 55, which solves a lot of the unemployment jeopardy.

Easier to fix, reform, even pay a little more to doctors, while also cutting unnecessary and not frightening seniors about reform, generally. Have the GOP vote against it, after all their recent 'embrace' of Medicare.

[Blackhatjack]

14. It would put Repub Shills in a difficult position to vote against it...n/t

[dysfunctional press]

22. i think that 50 is a better number...

but that's because my wife is 51 and unemployed at the moment. i'm 48- but i'm disabled and already on medicare.

[Blackhatjack]

13. There is real genius to this idea ....

IF you open Medicare to age 50 and over you will have the majority of older and sicker people in the country covered, and when you take another whack at it those under 50 would look like a good risk to add to the Medicare pool since they likely would have fewer claims for service per person than those already included.

It would also create a dilemma for the private healthcare insurers since they would have to raise premiums to the under 50 yr group in order to maintain their current 'profits'. That would likely make the under 50 yr group against a government run program sit up and take notice.

[bvar22]

15. But that would interfere with the obscene profits...

...of the Health Insurance Industry.
The "Centrist" Democrats can't allow THAT.

Incremental expansion of Medicare is the easiest and cheapest avenue for Health Care Reform.
It does NOT have to be "built from scratch" like some popular "Centrist" Democrats are fond of saying.
It does NOT "outlaw" the For Profit Health Insurance Industry.
Anyone would still be able to buy Insurance from these companies.

Expanding Medicare is the ONLY REAL Public Option.

The ONLY reason this was taken off the table was to protect the profits of the Health Insurance Industry.
Unfortunately, that IS the unvarnished TRUTH.

[Vincardog]

16. I will take that. It would be better to open it up to EVERYONE but this would incrementally help ME

[eridani]

17. Hope the Dems are listening

I've been pushing this since I heard it on Hartmann, and amd glad the good doctor is making some noise.

[spinbaby]

18. It's a good idea

It's not like insurance companies want the over 50 set anyway--they just want the young and healthy.

[a kennedy]

19. This sounds great.....now what do we do to get it done???

Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar are sick of getting my e-mails and phone calls regarding the public option already......

[robinlynne]

20. me too!

[Kermitt Gribble]

21. I have utmost respect for Howard Dean but

if we can 'open up eligibility to Medicare for people over age 50', there is no reason we can't open it up for everyone.