Medicare for All Bill Introduced by Pramila Jayapal Gets Record 120 Cosponsors

Make it happen!

Not by a large enough margin. The "control" we have is a slight majority in the House and a 50/50 "tie" in the Senate. That gives us control over committee assignments and what comes to the floor for a vote, but it's unrealistic to believe that Democrats can "make it happen" based on the false belief that "we are in control". We're not really in control.

While it may be technically true that we have an ever-so-slight enough of a majority in the House and a tie in the Senate, our party is definitely not in a position that can be characterized as "we are in control". When enough people indulge this false perception that we are completely "in control", they are easily frustrated often "blame the Democrats" when nothing gets done or when bills are easily blocked by the GOP. We hear it here all the time... not-so-subtle insinuations that the Democrats are lazy or incompetent... or corrupt.

I think it's important to be realistic.

Maybe one or two don’t but that’s enough to stop everything. Don’t blame it on the whole party when we’re trying as hard as we can. The motives and objectives are pure the process is messy

... there are a subset of individuals who will never be happy with anything the Democratic party does or accomplishes. Sarandon, Turner, West, Stein, Nader, Moore... along with a handful of others... have made it their goal in life, a sacred mission, to attack and smear and denigrate the Democratic party (and party leadership) at every possible moment. Some will even OPPOSE the party's efforts to make incremental PROGRESS by finding common ground. It's the same "all or nothing" philosophy that actually ends up halting progress rather than advancing it. Those pundits (and others) would rather indulge their egos rather than be willing to give-a-little in order to get-a-little, and forgetting that incremental progress is still progress --- while fooling themselves that receiving "nothing" as part of their all-or-nothing stubborn showboating is some sort of virtue to be admired. It's not.

All I'm trying to say is simply this: in the end people need to ask what useful purpose this strategy serves? It's never been successful in the past, so what good reason to they have for believing it will change going forward? It's just another example of how people are oddly willing to do and say things that lay undeserved blame at the feet of the Democratic party. It does nothing but to create an atmosphere of fear and hopelessness and negativity. Negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

....want Universal Health Care, not "medicare for all".

Would universal healthcare be like the UK or Canada? I don’t really trust polls on most subjects because the way they phrase the questions.

K&R

I wish they would fix Medicare so that it would pay for my dental, vision, and hearing.

Also many of the co-pays for tests the doctors wants me to have is $300 each.

Physical therapy one wants me to have is $50 per session and he wants me to have six minimum.

All of that is free under Medicaid but not Medicare.

I'm in the same boat.

Adding dental, vision, and hearing is worth our putting up with trumpcult incumbents exploiting that to keep their contested seats.

Medicare Advantage plans replace original Medicare accept in a few instances and have co pays. Original Medicare with a supplement you would more than likely not have to pay those prices.

Medicare for All does fix the problems with current Medicare. It both fixes & expands it.

There are certain procedures that require a big co-pay. I don't have the $$$$ like many others. I can't have these procedures done. Now, if I have to call the doctor, I am charged for a phone call!!! I can't ask any questions. Never get the Doc, always "he will call you when he can". When he does, I am charged for a phone visit.
After having a colonoscopy last spring, I had to pay $250.00. No follow thru by the MD. I filled the prescription that cost $979.00 and it was making me sick. I called the office and the Doc prescribed another RX instead. This one was only $800.00. I never filled it.

My symptoms have almost disappeared without any side effects without the RX. Maybe I'm being foolish but it is a case of MD, hospital and drug company squeezing us for every penny.

I was injured in September (torn meniscus, left knee. Saw the Ortho doc(with $250.00 co-pay) they took a look at my knee, did an xray and told me to sit it out, exercise and see a therapist. Phooey. Another co-pay.
If you are on Medicare, it is not a panacea. There are so many loopholes into which you may fall.

As to eye, dental, hearing..there is nothing.
It also bugs the heck out of me, there is never a follow thru by the doctors office. Once you pay, that is it. If I have to call with a question, I'm charged.

Annual exam in April, that is free under Medicare. Any problems? You are on your own after that, even if the Doc sends you to a specialist, the co-pay kicks in.

No way is Medicare a great system. (Just my opinion)

Conservatives don't want to think about the possibility of this.

Wishing we could catch up with the rest of the world in healthcare.

Sinamanchin...

who are getting near Medicare coverage. Without exception, they all think that once they have medicare, everything medically is taken care of by medicare...........................

I explain that they will still need to pay for Part B, Part C, and Part D

And they really freak out when I tell them Medicare covers nothing for Dental, Vision, etc........

The idea that Medicare for All means that the government pays for all healthcare and will mean astronomical taxes has prevented the US from joining the rest of the developed world with universal health care. As you say, Medicare is not free. I, too, wish it would include eye and dental care.

I hope this bill includes something to prevent closures of rural hospitals. Hundreds have closed in the last decade, forcing residents to travel further for regular care and causing real problems for emergency care. The ACA helped rural hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid under the program, but several red states refused to expand Medicare because their Republican leaders are spiteful people and wanted nothing to do with helping make Obamacare successful.

And many times Medicare has covered everything when I had a medical expense. Just because it doesn't cover everything for every illness or injury doesn't mean we should stop trying to improve it, for example to cover dental, vision, etc., as Biden has proposed.

THIS would be the single best thing that could happen to this country... for the people, for the economy. For everybody except health insurance companies who take money only to deny coverage. Let the insurance companies stick to cars, and homes and boats and motorcycles. Health care is a human right.

We CAN afford it (especially if we can give MILLIONS more to DoD than they ask for every year).

Unrealistic and fantasy-like pie-in-the-sky expectations only lead to disappointment and resentment. We don't need that.