Progressives Support Shoring Up ACA Before Tackling Medicare For All

[Hortensis]

31. MooDrew, Medicare uses private insurers, your "rotten foundation."

Private insurers, private medical providers, private rehabilitation, private device manufacturers, private pharmaceuticals, etcetera. Medicare is considered at best only partially socialized in that it is run by the federal government, but it operates within the free enterprise system with some regulation. But far from enough.

My husband and I are on Medicare. It costs me about the same as I had under the ACA. But in order to get comparable coverage we each have to pay premiums for 2 medical policies and a medication policy. Eye and dental are also, of course, separate.

The VA, with better care for much less, is our nation's only large true socialized medicine system. Very perversely, many of those passionately supportive of MfA think the VA isn't needed, that vets should lose their special benefits and be in the same, lesser system as everyone else. The VA is of course already on the Republican chopping block along with the ACA.

In any case, it sounds like the ACA is doing so poorly for you guys that at least you won't miss it all that much if Trump and the Republicans succeed in closing it down as unconstitutional.

And I can tell you that if you won't miss the rotten ACA all that much, maybe you won't miss Medicare all that much either if the Republicans succeed in repealing that before you get there.