Medicare-for-all *IS* a jobs bill!

[G_j]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Medicare-for-all-IS-a-jo-by-Jack-Lohman-100213-81.html

Medicare-for-all *IS* a jobs bill!

By Jack Lohman

<snip>

Bottom line: For the same amount of dollars we are spending today (17% of GDP) we could provide first-class Cheney-care to 100% of our population. Including those on Medicaid, SCHIP, worker's comp, and those who are unemployed, uninsured and under-insured.

We'd eliminate the 31% of insurance bureaucracy waste (reduce hospital and clinic billing clerks, eliminate exorbitant CEO salaries and bonuses, actuarial and denial costs, gatekeepers, broker commissions, rising shareholder profits, and even the political contributions that allow the politicians to share in the system).

We'd spend that money on healthcare instead.

Actually, we'd save $400 billion if we did nothing else, but that savings has already been earmarked for expanding the system to include limited vision and dental. Yet it still allows people to buy additional Gap coverage on the outside for things Medicare doesn't cover, like cosmetic surgery. And we'd retain the 20% co-pay, which Gap policies can also cover.

We'd pay for the system the same way other countries do, through our national infrastructure" about 2% on individual taxes and 8% on company wages (as opposed to the 15% they pay today). But other forms can be established, like a value added tax (VAT) on imported product. (How's that for returning American jobs?)

" it *IS* a jobs bill!

Employers now spend an average 15% of wages on health care benefits, which they pass on to the consumer at the cash register.

But this new Medicare-for-all system benefits only US manufacturers, and makes them more competitive with product from countries already with universal health care. The Big Three already make more cars in Ontario than the US because their health costs are $800 per employee there versus $6500 here.

The 15% of wages saved can instead be spent on adding new technologies and new jobs. Businesses could spend the savings on keeping jobs in the US instead of outsourcing to countries already with universal healthcare. That's a bailout for 100% of our businesses, not just the banks and car manufacturers.



..more..

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. It's ridiculously obvious.

It was ridiculously obvious 30 years ago.

[G_j]

9. good point

not like it's a new revelation really..

[Little Star]

2. Yes, your right it is! n/t

[Cetacea]

3. Stop making sense.

j/k K&R

[mdmc]

4. but that makes sense and is easy to explain

[slipslidingaway]

5. knr - it cannot even be discussed :( n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. Sing it brother! I try to make this same point constantly

Saves money for corporations, makes America more competitive, etc. The big mystery to me is why the Chamber of Commerce and American industry isn't SCREAMING for single payer health care. Or why small business doesn't realize this is the best possible thing that could ever happen to them, both on their own behalf as entrpreneurs and on behalf of their employees.

Not to mention all the jobs that would be created in the healthcare industry itself if every single American had access to affordable, available healthcare. We would have to build clinics, hospitals, schools and training facilities for all the employees that would be demanded by such a system.

Our politicians have their heads up their collective asses and locked to not see this. My belief is that they are PAID to not see this. That is THE only conceivable answer. Same answer as to why they would vote against drug negotiation and/or importation.

[stillwaiting]

7. You're right. It's the only thing that could explain what's going on.

They are bought and paid for.

The Democrats have to be better actors than the Republicans.

[G_j]

8. kick

[groundloop]

10. Dam our politicians hate when people look at the big picture

and make sense. My right wing friends hate it too. I cite these facts and they've all got a reason why they don't want the government meddling in their health care. I guess they're happy paying double for substandard care.