Hillarysworld

Sanders · Diamond

"No more concessions on health reform" (Derrick Z. Jackson, Globe Columnist, Boston.com, 3/2/10)

Alex · Diamond

Here's a good explanation of what we need:

"One of the best questions of the evening was, "What is the difference between the public option and single payer?" Here's the answer. The public option doesn't exist and single payer or Medicare for All does. If Congress passed HR 3200 tomorrow, you could not go out and sign up for the public option because there are no public option providers (no doctors, no hospitals, no network). In order to have the public option we must first have a Health Insurance Exchange. Before we have a Health Insurance Exchange we must first create an independent agency in the executive branch called the Health Choices Administration and hire the Health Choices Commissioner. In short we are creating an entirely new system to provide health insurance on top of the system that we already have."

"I say, "Make Mine Medicare." Medicare is 44 years old, a uniquely American solution that has a high approval rating. Medicare is also relatively inexpensive to administer with a 4% overhead and has an existing national infrastructure. So with the stroke of a pen, all uninsured Americans could be moved over to Medicare as the public option and in a few weeks, we would have our cards. It goes without saying that we should use the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All model described by John Conyers in HR 676. All participants in this plan would have medical, dental, vision, negotiated pharmacy and mental health on full parity with physical health. We could move from state to state and not be concerned about transferring coverage and our healthcare isn't tied to a job. The greatest part about this plan is we would never pay more than 3.3% of income for our healthcare; Health Insurance Exchange rates go as high as 12% of income (that's nearly 4 times the premium cost of Medicare for All)."

http://www.informva.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2:make-mine-medicare&catid=2:general&Itemid=8

Sanders · Diamond

Yes, that is a good explanation.

I do not seen a single proposal on the table to extend Medicare to all. None. So, what good is it if we are spinning wheel when insurance companies are happily raising rates. They will NEVER lower the rate once they raise it.

For most insurance companies, the rate increases were to be effective 3/1 and the government has put that on hold subject to review. I do not know if they can really enforce a kabash on rate increase.

Unemployment has been on the increase. Underemployment (reported) is on the increase. Unreported unemployment is rampant - you only need look around your neighborhood.

Most employed people did not get salary increase. This is so in almost all private and education sectors.

Stress level in households has been on the increase, with its own side effects. For example, I am seeing right now today's report: Teen alcohol & pot use up for first time in a decade. This is most certainly the societal stress telling via the children.

I am concerned with both bad regulation as well as inaction. Neither is acceptable.

The President has really botched this one bigtime. That said, some work is desperately needed to correct the course of insurance companies ruling this country at every end.