Why won't Republicans let people buy healthcare from the government?

[gulliver]

Why won't Republicans let people buy healthcare from the government? It's my money! Why won't Republicans let me spend my money the way I want to spend it? I might be able to save a good chunk of cash by buying into a plan run by Medicare, for example. It is a lot more efficient with health care dollars than private insurers, and it has a lot of clout in keeping costs down. All that we would need is to make Medicare purchase-able. It's sitting right there.

If the Republicans would get out of the way, and stop interfering with my buying options, I could spend my money the way I want to and even save some of it.

[MrScorpio]

1. Through taxes even...

Like from a single government insurer

No messy stockholders to deal with

Great idea!

[ingac70]

2. Because...

you can't rip of the working class and enrich your buddies if people do that.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. You silly person! It's because the government is BAD!

Didn't you know that?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. government is evil. no dividends for stockholders.

[firehorse]

5. If the government sold shares and they were stockholders you could, in the meantime

you can only buy it from the private health care industry who line their pockets.

[HopeHoops]

6. Simple - they make too much from the for-profit healthcare system.

A system that leaves millions without any care and costs too fucking much in the first place.

[izquierdista]

7. Because there is no charge to enter

To vote for the President who will appoint the Secretary of Health and Human Services -- $0
To vote for the CEO of United Health Group Inc. -- $52.70 -- per voting share. The more shares you own, the more votes you get.

[Agent William]

8. Because if you were allowed to,

health 'insurance' companies would make less money.

It's that simple. The majority of so-called elected officials are nothing more than paid contractors. House members are contracted to serve corporate influences for two years and senators for six. Many in the Democratic party do part-time contract work, a modist improvment over the GOP. You can't look at politicians as elected civil servants, but rather as roofing or tile contractors; they have a service to provide to the people paying them.

Simple.

The cure? I'm not sure....

[gulliver]

9. But it's the Republicans who don't want it allowed.

I don't get it. The Democratic government leaders nearly all want to allow us to spend our own money on buying government health care if we want? It's our money. The healthcare is available to buy. But the Republicans nearly are all against it. I don't see why they won't let me spend my money on getting a good deal. Plus, I'm a taxpayer, and so I should definitely have the right to buy into a program (like Medicare) that I helped pay to get started.

And with people buying Medicare, it would have more patients and more clout. Plus the employees of Medicare needed to take on the additional work would be American.

[Lil Missy]

10. Because the insurance industry pays Republicans to be against it.

[TransitJohn]

11. They're afraid that the public would like it too much

I mean c'mon, a public option to help control costs was always supposed to be part of Health Insurance Reform, right?

[gulliver]

12. Yeah, the Republicans blocked it.

And I'll bet you are right. "They're afraid that the public would like it too much." But why are they afraid of that? It makes no sense. They are afraid that the public would be able to buy something they want to buy with their own money. It wouldn't cost the taxpayers a dime, but they are still against it. What am I missing? The Republicans are always saying government should be run more like a business, but they won't let it sell something to customers who want to buy? It makes no sense.

[TransitJohn]

13. Yeah, sure, the Republicans blocked it.

Why not?

[kctim]

14. Because Republicans are also taxpayers

You make it a totally voluntary program and they wouldn't give a damn where you used YOUR money.