A simple road to HCR: Save Medicare by opening it to everyone through Reconciliation

[andym]

With the end of the Senate supermajority, reconciliation looms large as a way to pass HCR. Why not kill two birds with one stone and save Medicare from insolvency at the same time?

1. Open Medicare to All, but charge 5% over cost. The extra money from younger healthier people will save the Medicare fund. Pass the cost-savings changes by reconciliation

2. Create subsidies for poorer people to get insurance using the same savings from Medicare that is in the current HCR bill

So, even though insurance companies will still be able to deny prior conditions, people can still get "insured" though Medicare (or Medicaid), so it won't matter.

This will hold costs down at the reimbursement end and also provide a competitor for insurers.

Then pass a drug re-importation bill and voila HCR and Medicare saved. And we're on the road to single-payer.

From http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/20/827324/-HCR:-Save-Medicare-by-opening-it-to-everyone-through-Reconciliation

If you like this idea, please let you congress people know ASAP.

[Justitia]

1. You've got my vote! -eom

[sandnsea]

2. Part A is $461 a month

The Part A premium is $461.00 per month for people who are not otherwise eligible for premium-free hospital insurance and have less than 30 quarters of Medicare-covered employment. $1100 deductible

Part B is $96.40 a month, $155 deductible

http://questions.medicare.gov/cgi-bin/medicare.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2262

[andym]

13. It would not be free or even as cheap as it is for those over 65

But with the subsidies for the poor and middle class that are in the current HCR it would be a popular choice.

Also it would be popular for people paying more than 461/month for worse insurance. Still it would not get as close to universal insurance as the current HCR effort, but it would help set up a path to it.

The biggest problem is no family plan. Perhaps that could be added too.

[HillbillyBob]

3. That was what I posited before too

Medicare is not insovlent so much as the congress kepts stealing from it to pay for their little perks or god knows what same with Social Security, its not much of a trust fund if the trustees cannot be trusted.

[andym]

12. Keeping money in the actual trust fund

AND recovering money that has already been spent elsewhere would be of great help in maintaining the solvency of both SS and Medicare.

[eomer]

4. Why would younger, healthier people sign up and pay premiums?

All they would have to do is pay nothing while they are young and healthy and then sign up later when they come down with a major illness. Since your plan has no pre-existing condition exclusion for Medicare, there is nothing to stop them.

Maybe next you can reform fire insurance to allow people whose houses are already on fire to buy federal fire insurance.

[Hannah Bell]

6. if they work, they're already paying.

[andym]

7. Well many of the less aflluent at least would sign up

Since they would get subsidies.

Because there are no mandates in this suggestion, less people would be insured than under the current proposals.

But those who are overpaying via private insurers would sign up (preventing adverse selection).

[pnwmom]

5. We would need to pass the Senate bill, too, in order to keep the health care

regulation -- including the universal mandate -- that is in the bill.

But with Medicare available to everyone, the mandate won't require anyone to get private insurance.

[andym]

9. I'm not sure it would be necessary, depending on goals

Combined with the Senate bill, this would be a very good way to near universal insurance.

If the senate bill does not pass (but this does), then it would lead to an increased number of people being insured (those less well off who would be subsidized), as well as reduced costs due to people with private insurance switching over (and preventing adverse selection), but not universal health care.

[fascisthunter]

8. This would be a winning reslolution

but we would need someone like Dean to get the info out there to counter the right wing corporate garbage.

[RB TexLa]

10. And those of us who pay less than $2,000 a year for our health insurance can keep it?

I'm fine with people having the option of medicare, if it's an option. And the government uses the buying power to drive down health costs.

[andym]

11. Exactly

Why would you have to change?
Medicare would just be an option.