How would Medicare for All Work? Medicare today is viable because people have paid 30+ years into

[Hoyt]

30. They can pay taxes for Medicare buyin, or actuarily determined premiums.

I doubt those premiums and/or taxes are going to be anywhere as cheap as people think/hope.

In any event, we need to have universal coverage -- with subsidies for those who cannot afford insurance.

The biggest problem with M4A is that so many people right now are relatively happy with their employer insurance. Forcing them to take Medicare -- no matter how good it will be for society in the long run -- will be seen as cramming it down their throat. Any problems that occur -- including costing more than politicians are telling them -- will be blamed on government.

That's the main reason I think the Public Option is the best way forward. If buying into Medicare is as good as we think/hope, people will gravitate toward it quickly. In a few years, we'll be down to 20% or so left with commercial insurance, and it'll be easy to convert them (assuming the experiment works as hoped).