Medicare for All––the Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren Health Care Plans

The Question That Single-Payer Medicare for All Advocates Need to Answer

You are probably thinking that question is, How are you going to pay for it?

Ultimately, yes.

But, I will suggest there is another critically important issue that is part of the overall question about how it will be paid for––What will your plan do to our existing health care system?

Medicare and Medicaid cost less than commercial insurance because Medicare and Medicaid pay providers––doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers–– a lot less for their services.

Advocates argue their single-payer Medicare for all health care system will overall cost us all a lot less. They are right that their systems can be a lot less expensive by expanding Medicare to everyone––primarily because government payment rates are so much smaller.

But here's the hitch––paying Medicare rates on behalf of all patients would literally bankrupt the system we have.

What Neither the Republicans Nor the Democrats Understand About Obamacare

The 2018 Elections Were Not About Obamacare--They Were About Health Insurance Security 

 

The 2018 midterm elections weren't a tsunami for Democrats--more like a blue wave hitting a red wall.  

 

Democrats are claiming the election vindicated Obamacare because they were successful in gaining control of the House of Representatives by criticizing losing Republicans for their votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act--including its key consumer protections.

 

My sense is that both Democrats and Republicans have missed the critical point.

Both sides don't understand that this was not about Obamacare. It was about health insurance security.