General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBernie Sanders: Why We Need Medicare for All
By BERNIE SANDERS SEPT. 13, 2017
Excerpt:
On Wednesday I will introduce the Medicare for All Act in the Senate with 15 co-sponsors and support from dozens of grass-roots organizations. Under this legislation, every family in America would receive comprehensive coverage, and middle-class families would save thousands of dollars a year by eliminating their private insurance costs as we move to a publicly funded program.
The transition to the Medicare for All program would take place over four years. In the first year, benefits to older people would be expanded to include dental care, vision coverage and hearing aids, and the eligibility age for Medicare would be lowered to 55. All children under the age of 18 would also be covered. In the second year, the eligibility age would be lowered to 45 and in the third year to 35. By the fourth year, every man, woman and child in the country would be covered by Medicare for All.
Needless to say, there will be huge opposition to this legislation from the powerful special interests that profit from the current wasteful system. The insurance companies, the drug companies and Wall Street will undoubtedly devote a lot of money to lobbying, campaign contributions and television ads to defeat this proposal. But they are on the wrong side of history.
Guaranteeing health care as a right is important to the American people not just from a moral and financial perspective; it also happens to be what the majority of the American people want. According to an April poll by The Economist/YouGov, 60 percent of the American people want to expand Medicare to provide health insurance to every American, including 75 percent of Democrats, 58 percent of independents and 46 percent of Republicans. Now is the time for Congress to stand with the American people and take on the special interests that dominate health care in the United States. Now is the time to extend Medicare to everyone.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/opinion/bernie-sanders-medicare-single-payer.html
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Not Ruth
(3,613 posts)leftofcool
(19,460 posts)tymorial
(3,433 posts)For others it will cost them. People with employer provided insurance will see tax liability increase without salary offset because employers will have their own tax liability.
Donkees
(31,086 posts)dalton99a
(81,073 posts)spanone
(135,636 posts)disillusioned73
(2,872 posts)Progress never comes easy..
Demsrule86
(68,352 posts)proof majority in the Senate and and a substantial majority in the House...this could take years. in the meantime, people will die with no insurance at all. I consider that this is irresponsible and endangers our chance to retake the House.
disillusioned73
(2,872 posts)by showing the American people a positive alternative to "repeal" is a bad thing?? If the ACA is lost to the R's stupidity, will things not get worse?? How will that help their cause?? Answer, it will just push us to single payer even faster.. yes, people will suffer - that is the Republicans goal and it should be pointed out at every turn.. but not riding this wave at this time would be woefully irresponsible..
The corporate media is even covering this, pretty astonishing times..
Demsrule86
(68,352 posts)by the Repubs who will never never vote for it. In the meantime the ACA will be killed and when they succeed...they will say ,"hey the Dems knew it wouldn't work ....blah blah"...this is the stupidest thing ever...and endangers those who depend on the ACA...fix the ACA and then have at pushing single payer...but it is just irresponsible to introduce something that has no shot at becoming law probably for years...and ignoring what is a lifeline for many ...the ACA. Those touting this should check their privilege...the Democrats have no power to get anything done at the moment. It is mystifying why some think this is the 'perfect time' unless it is for a future presidential run...and that would make me angry because they have a duty to work on things that will save health insurance.
Demsrule86
(68,352 posts)going at all costs...and then when we get back in power...a super majority...start lowering the age of Medicare. This is a waste of time and endangers the ACA.
Demsrule86
(68,352 posts)nothing...Nancy said now is not the right time...she actually has pushed legislation through...Sen. Sanders has not.
Ron Green
(9,821 posts)We have enough investment schemes; we need a health care system.