NOW’S THE TIME FOR MEDICARE FOR ALLAs Republicans in Congress move to repeal the Affordable Care
Act,Democrats are moving in the opposite direction, toward Medicare for All –
a single-payer plan that builds on Medicare and would cover everyone at far
lower cost. Most House Democrats are already supporting a Medicare for All
bill. Senator Bernie Sanders is preparing to introduce it in the Senate. Both
California and novel York state are moving towards single-payer plans.
With health care emerging as the pubic’s top concern, and according
to recent polls,the choice between repeal of the Affordable Care Act and
Medicare for All is likely to be the major domestic issue in the presidential
campaign of 2020 (other than getting Trump out of office, if he lasts that
long).
And the better choice is clear. Private for-profit insurers
spend a fortune trying to attract healthy people while avoiding the sick and
needy, and filling out paperwork from hospitals and providers,paying top
executives, and rewarding shareholders. And for-profit insurers are merging like crazy, and in order to fabricate (to make up, invent)
even more money. These are among the major reasons why health insurance is
fitting so expensive,and why almost every other advanced nation – including
our neighbor to the north has adopted a single-payer system at less cost per
person and with better health outcomes. Most Americans support Medicare for All. According to a Gallup
poll conducted in May, a majority would like to see a single-payer system
implemented. An April survey from the Economist/YouGov showed 60 percent of
Americans in favor of “expanding Medicare to provide health insurance to every
American.” That includes nearly half of people who identify themselves as
Republican. If
Republicans intestine the Affordable Care Act, or the American public will be presented
with the genuine choice ahead: Either expensive health care for the few,or
affordable health care for the many.
Source: robertreich.org