Hours before debate, Sanders releases Medicare-for-all plan (update)
Source: CNN
By Dan Merica, Eric Bradner and Tami Luhby
Charleston, South Carolina (CNN)Bernie Sanders released his Medicare-for-all health care plan Sunday, detailing how he'd implement a decades-old liberal dream just two hours before Democrats start their final debate before the February 1 Iowa caucuses.
The Vermont senator's plan would funnel all Americans into a government-run health insurance program similar to the Medicare program that already covers senior citizens.
"Universal health care is an idea that has been supported in the United States by Democratic presidents going back to Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman," Sanders said in a statement. "It is time for our country to join every other major industrialized nation on earth and guarantee health care to all citizens as a right, not a privilege."
The plan comes with a hefty price tag: $1.38 trillion per year, according to calculations released by the Sanders campaign. It would provide comprehensive care to all Americans, covering doctors' visits, hospital stays, long-term and hospice care, vision, dental, mental health and prescription drugs.
FULL story and video at link.
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/17/politics/bernie-sanders-medicare-plan/
I switched the AP story for CNN. Apology to onecaliberal.
onecaliberal
(32,818 posts)earthside
(6,960 posts)Here in Colorado we are going to have a single-payer proposal on the November ballot.
Already here the reactionaries and Repuglicans want to call the single-payer contribution a tax hike.
But it is really a tax cut because we finally get rid of the ever escalating premium payments to corporate insurance companies.
If we can get past that hurdle of basic understanding, then people are going to want single-payer.
trillion
(1,859 posts)Hopefully Washington State will follow.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)ago. I remember volunteers coming to my door and asking for signatures and donations. We knew what it was going to be like. It would get rid of the for-profit insurance companies and cover everyone. It would be government run.
We did not get any of that in the ACA and many who are covered in the ACA cannot afford the costs or the amount you have to pay before it starts to cover you.
The best thing about it was the expanded Medicaid law which the SCOTUS helped to cut down. IF we emphasize the expanded Medicaid and keep adding more and more people to both Medicaid and Medicare (and other government run programs - like Indian Health and the VA) we will at least be moving toward the single-payer we all wanted in the first place.
Elmer S. E. Dump
(5,751 posts)1.38 Trillion is going to scare a lot of people that think their taxes are already too high. I hope Bernie explains the costs in detail.
markj757
(194 posts)I have to be honest, I was seriously thinking about voting for Bernie, but that Universal Health Care plan just lost me. Any candidate who can't see that America will never support a radical jump from what we have with the Affordable Care Act to Bernie's Universal Health Care plan and the accompanying taxes and overhaul to our entire medical insurance infrastructure, its just a little too socialist for me. That's not how we operate, and honestly, I don't think its in the best interest of this country. What he should have offered was a public option, that anyone can buy into Medicare, but if he can't see that, and he has people around him telling him something different, I just can't support a candidate that socialist. Unfortunately, instead of voting for someone I believe in, and I love Bernie, I'm going to have to vote for Hillary as our last best chance to stop Trump. Bernie will not be the nominee after releasing such a dramatic increase in the role of our federal government in health care. There still taking votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. That was sad and I think fatal mistake for his campaign. It won't scare the hell out of his core supporters, but it will scare the hell out of people like me who wanted to vote for him.
7wo7rees
(5,128 posts)Does anyone ever hear or understand the part about eliminating for-profit healthcare? The exorbitant monthly premiums will go to full healthcare for all, uhmmm.
Certainly seems to be worth considering. IMHO.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,172 posts)INdemo
(6,994 posts)on Bernie health plan but bashing it before reading.
You don't understand Bernie Sanders plan because you haven't taken the time to read it, and you are so caught up in shilling for Hillary you cant see the forest for the trees.
Its really not hard to understand and I will explain it to you but you wont take the time to listen because that is not what you are here for.
markj757
(194 posts)My most recent post made the point that I was seriously considering voting for someone I believe in (Bernie), versus casting a vote for Hillary, as some type of counter vote to Trump....and I love Bernie, but if his massive health care overhaul is an example of the type of legislation he plans to push for our party, I just can't vote for that type of person to lead our party in the next presidential election. He may make an outstanding Senator, and I will always be a big fan of Bernie because his heart and soul reflects what's best about the liberal wing of our party, but that doesn't make him the best standard bearer for the entire Democratic party. Believe me, voting for Hillary and the shady Clinton political machine, doesn't excite me at all, but it is in my opinion fast becoming the last remaining option to win in November.
ancianita
(36,023 posts)All caretakers have to do, top to bottom, is meld into its payment system and delivery standards.
The great thing about it, from my viewpoint, is that all Americans will be able to get the same health care treatment no matter where they travel or relocate in the country. That logistical change alone will be a big help to both the body politic and the economy in the form of less expensive quality of life through preventive health maintenance and accessible catastrophic care. Everywhere. That alone makes it better than the current, flawed ACA system.
Medicare for all won't stop any richies from getting their gold standard insurance and hotel treatment of hospital care, either.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)the hoops when they prescribe medications etc. because each insurance company has its own set of rules about what can and cannot be paid for in their policy. Added to that is the many different forms that their staff have to fill out (all different) to get paid.
ancianita
(36,023 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)many of his programs. Have you ever wondered why the major industrial countries in Europe are not setting around bitching about taxes? Because they get something back for their taxes. We get wars.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)olderthandirt
(11 posts)How about liability insurance for gun owners
first gun free every one after costs more until it gets to expensive to own an arsenal . also tax ammo when its bought
7wo7rees
(5,128 posts)Thanks for all you do and the wonderful pics of your backyard bird sanctuary!
Also for sharing with us all your difficult health issues.
Wanted to let you know we just contributed again to Bernie.
Again, thank you.
markj757
(194 posts)And I hate to say this, but now it brings into focus what Chelsea Clinton was talking about, and it makes those attacks sound much more reasonable than outright lies. Bernie literally wants to burn down everything except Medicare and start from scratch. It's just a step too far for me.
Bernin
(311 posts)But, running on ACA is a loser from the start. Many people are very mad about being forced to buy for profit health insurance. Those people are on the left the right and in the middle.
As for your earlier comment about "too socialist" More bad news for you. Most people are sick of the crony capitalism we have now lived under since Raygun.
Selling the public on trying a new strategy will not be that difficult.
INdemo
(6,994 posts)It was written in part by the Insurance lobbyists and Insurance companies.Sure there were some amendments added by the Democrats but in the end we got a huge Deductable plan with high premiums.
Only good thing to the plan was for those with prior illnesses coverage.
Might have been ok if the Red States would have expanded medicaid.
Bernie's plan will work because it will save millions and cost less than the ACA (much less) with much better coverage.
markj757
(194 posts)in the ACA to truly make it a revolutionary piece of legislation is the public option. To allow anyone to buy into Medicare at any age.
markj757
(194 posts)about why he should have pushed for the public option and allow anyone to buy into Medicare. That's not for profit health insurance, and its something the party and I think the majority of the country would accept.
INdemo
(6,994 posts)turbinetree
(24,695 posts)have had a "private for profit insurance" plan from 2015 and I WILL not know or show HOW much each person paid for there insurance premium at the price they got through the metal plan.
But let me be clear, I do know one thing as a recipient to MEDICARE, which I and millions of others have, we have been MEANS TESTED (Age of 65) to receive from the "not-for profit U.S. government plan insurance" through the government, which costs me $127.00 a month for a 80/20% plan and I pay $1524.00 a year in insurance premiums back to myself and I am jumping up and down WITH GLEE, that I will not get screwed by the United Health care CEO / Wall Street Bank making a profit off me, AND THEM hoping that I die and giving a CEO 20% profit right off the top for his for profit fee based on my health, with the $12,000, deducible co payment on some great metal plan-------------------phooey.
And whats amazing =after getting rid of my spending over $7200 in insurance premiums for that year just to get that deductible in a for profit insurance plan last year(2015) with a $12,000 deductible for both my wife and me, -------------------------it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that MEDICARE is cheaper and better and saves me money a lot of money, because of the overhead costs costing 4- 7% , while for-profit overhead costs run from 17-25%
.
This is what Clinton is NOT talking about----------she is using fear
And after hearing what Clinton said, she has lost my support completely if she becomes the nominee------------------even at my own risk--------------------because she will have placed me at risk anyway with her plan, the DINO"S in her wring of power they do not care-------------she is leaving it in the hands of insurance companies and the same states that don't want it and by the same insurance corporations that are being run by banks-for a big fat profit----------------if you don't think so----------look.
SO LET ME SAY--------------------------
I AM GOING TO GIVE TO BERNIE AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT GETTING A TRULY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE WHO KNOWS THAT THis is about getting a progressive U.S. Supreme Court ,Congress and state and local legislatures
I kinda like what FDR, Truman, Johnson did, a lot more so, than Goldwater and his girls, we remember, they thought and were running around that the ngoverment was the problem, when in fact it was the government that gave me health insurance at 4-7% in cover head costs
Honk-----------------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016
INdemo
(6,994 posts)by tech insurance and pharmaceutical and yes big banks are involved too.
If Hillary wins big banks,insurance companies,pharmacuticals win. I cannot believe that anyone can support her and still call themselves Democrats. When this is over i imagine there will be a lot of the names we barely recognize on many posts will be heading back to the other side of the creek.
Bernin
(311 posts)I fear not only will we lose the white House; but, we will lose the congress by such large margins that we will not recover from in my lifetime.
INdemo
(6,994 posts)wins the nomination 17% of Democrats (and I assume that this is part of the progressive wing)
will not vote.
Now the best thing that could happen and it would be huge and it would leave every political observer gasping for air.Everyone in the Clinton campaign scrambling for their next strategical move. That would be if Bernie wins Iowa (I have read that technically he is 5 points ahead but we'll take tied) and wins NH then if the biggest political miracle happen in history and Elizabeth Warren would join the campaign as Bernie's potential running mate.Well then folks the Revolution moves from being a Dream to a Reality.
area51
(11,905 posts)Even my rightwing mother, before she developed dementia, realized that I should have access to Medicare also, that's it's a better offering than for-profit insurance.
Of course, Medicare needs to be expanded to cover more.
turbinetree
(24,695 posts)Honk-------for a political revolution Bernie 2016