Elizabeth Warren tried to do Bernie Sanders's homework for him. She failed.

[comradebillyboy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/elizabeth-warren-tried-to-do-bernie-sanderss-homework-for-him-she-failed/2019/11/04/bddfb0b0-ff48-11e9-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html

The feat was getting the math on Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) specific version of Medicare-for-all to add up. Which means: offering more generous coverage than currently exists anywhere on Earth in a country that likely has the highest health-care prices and still somehow saving the country money in the process.

Sanders’s Medicare-for-all plan (like his entire political career) is arguably more about pushing the Democratic Party leftward, not coming up with real, implementable policies — or at least, not doing the homework required to determine if his proposals are real, implementable policies.

Yes, Sanders loves to talk about how he “wrote the damn bill” on Medicare-for-all. But he hasn’t even attempted to figure out its financing. That would require him to document his claim that middle-class Americans will come out ahead financially even if their taxes go up.

As he told CNBC’s John Harwood recently: “You’re asking me to come up with an exact detailed plan of how every American — how much you’re going to pay more in taxes, how much I’m going to pay. I don’t think I have to do that right now.”

[thesquanderer]

1. Sanders wants a different approach, Warren's plan wouldn't be what he wants anyway.

Warren wanted (and came up with) a plan without a built-in middle class tax increase. (Whether it would work or not is a separate conversation.)

Sanders plan (which is well described, even though less detailed) involves a middle class tax increase, but with the claim that total outlay for these people still goes down (because of the elimination of premiums, copays, deductibles). Though there would certainly be people for whom that would not be the case.

[sop]

2. To her credit Elizabeth Warren deals in policy specifics, it could also be her political downfall

It's easy to promise free health care for all like Sanders, or Trump's "big, beautiful health care plan" that would "repeal and replace Obamacare" and "cover everyone for a lot less." Given our current political system, getting to that goal will be nearly impossible. I see Warren's MFA not as a plan, but as a goal.

[comradebillyboy]

3. Warren should have come up with her own plan instead of

adopting the Bernie version of MFA. Perhaps a plan based on the very successful French or German systems.

[BlueMTexpat]

9. You do realize that

the French system and the German system are quite different, I hope.

The French system is more like Medicare for All. MFA is not an idea unique to Bernie Sanders. Not at all.

DUer DFW can describe the German system. Or you can check out this Wiki description. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Germany

Or both.

[comradebillyboy]

10. I know they are diffferent, but both work well and why not

build on a proven large scale model using one of those systems instead of reinventing the wheel.

[ritapria]

4. Warren made the mistake

of putting together a MFA financing plan that avoided the reality that middle class taxes have to go up to fund MFA …...Bernie has fessed up ...It ain't " free stuff" …..

[Demsrule86]

6. And those who have kids and workplace insurance will pay through the nose which is why M4A will not

happen but could cost us the election.

[George II]

5. There's now this famous, or infamous, statement during an interview

Sanders: 'I don't think I have to' release details on paying for 'Medicare for All'

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/467885-sanders-i-dont-think-i-have-to-release-details-on-paying-for-medicare-for

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he doesn't think he needs to release more details about how to pay for his "Medicare for All" health care proposal.

During a wide-ranging interview with CNBC's John Harwood published Tuesday, Sanders dismissed the idea that he should explain in detail how he'd pay for his signature health plan.

"You're asking me to come up with an exact detailed plan of how every American — how much you're going to pay more in taxes, how much I'm going to pay. I don't think I have to do that right now," Sanders said.

[aikoaiko]

7. In the meantime, my 2020 insurance premiums for BC/BS went up $3600 for the year.

Yeah, taxes. Can't have taxes.

[OldRed2450]

8. Look at it on a national level...

Do you think most Americans will be OK with a huge tax increase? The things Bernie wants to do M4A, wipe out all student loan debt, his housing plan plus green new deal would require everyone to be taxed at 70% or more across the board. Try selling that to the whole electorate.

[aikoaiko]

15. If we can make good on the promise that it will cost less than pay for health care...

...it might work on the national level.

[Cha]

11. Ouch.

Sanders’s Medicare-for-all plan (like his entire political career) is arguably more about pushing the Democratic Party leftward, not coming up with real, implementable policies — or at least, not doing the homework required to determine if his proposals are real, implementable policies.

Yes, Sanders loves to talk about how he “wrote the damn bill” on Medicare-for-all. But he hasn’t even attempted to figure out its financing. That would require him to document his claim that middle-class Americans will come out ahead financially even if their taxes go up.

.. I don’t think I have to do that right now.”

Thank you for this, comradebillyboy

[comradebillyboy]

12. That quote captures the essence of Bernie's political career.

[Cha]

13. Exactly.

[betsuni]

14. K&R

[Eric J in MN]

16. Bernie Sanders would pay for M4A with

...an employee payroll tax.