Why Bernie Sanders' single-payer push is great policy and even better politics [View all]

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Bernie Sanders unveiled his latest version of a Medicare-for-all plan on Wednesday, to a highly unusual level of media attention and support within the Democratic Party.

A third of the party's Senate caucus have come out as co-sponsors — although, unsurprisingly, neither Chuck Schumer nor Nancy Pelosi are backing it yet — and it looks likely that more will sign on soon.

The plan is extremely generous — indeed, much more so than many peer countries. But that only makes it great policy and better politics.

So first, the details: The plan would be phased in over a period of four years. In the first year, traditional Medicare would be expanded to cover dental, vision, and hearing aids, as well as people over 55 or under 18, while others would be able to buy in if they wish.
In the second year, the age qualification would be lowered to 45, in the third year to 35, and then in the fourth year, everyone remaining would be included.

This upgraded version of Medicare would also be a lot more generous in terms of access. There would be no cost-sharing, except for prescription drugs. It is, as Paul Waldman argues, probably best understood as an opening bid — a symbolic maximal demand rather than the usual pre-compromised Democratic fare ...

Sanders later released a sketch of a financing plan, which lays out several options to reduce costs and raise revenue, though it does not decide which is best. A more detailed discussion will inevitably have to be part of any Medicare-for-all bill.

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Fear of change and knee-jerk moderation is the thinking that made American health care such a disaster in the first place. But at some point America is going to have to rip off this band-aid.
BernieCare is an excellent starting point.


Read more at:
http://theweek.com/articles/724334/why-bernie-sanders-singlepayer-push-great-policy-even-better-politics