Monday, October 15, 2018

Why #Medicareforall instead of #Obamacare


"It is believed by many that America has the world’s best health care system. But by what measure? By three key criteria — costs, access, and results — America’s health care system is abysmal, the worst among the democratic industrial countries. In fact, no nation anywhere pays more per person for health care and has an unhealthier population." 

William R. Nester: Doctors and drugs: The Medical Industrial Complex

Americans are having the worst healthcare system of any developed country, period. 
We spend the most money per capita in the industrialized world, 17% of our GDP goes on our healthcare spending, so the answer why the results are so poor is obviously one and only:  
- Completely monopolized private for profit ownership of the industry and insurance corporations as mediators between the providers and the payee of healthcare services. 
There comes 2018 election and the issue of healthcare is number one political issue driving voters all over again. 
Medicare for all is what the democrats offer, while republicans watch the dow jones performances of their healthcare industry stocks and cross their fingers the trend continue as it is. 
What is Medicare for all what democrats push for actually? 
It is elimination of the medical insurance corporations as primary payee between the providers and recipients of medical services, nothing more. 
America is not willing to change the system, America just want to modify it under the pressure of its population suffering in neglect and depravation of the basic healthcare even among the people who have coverage via their employers or via popular ACA and hated Obamacare so brainwashed they don't even know it is one and the same bill. 
America will not tackle the Medical industrial complex, it will just compartmentalize it. The insurance corporations will restructure becoming supplemental insurance options just as medicare has it now. 
That is what America will do, if it do anything at all. 
The political drama surrounding this tragedy is Shakespearean as always. 
Nothing ever really changes in America. 
Its like new shuffle of the same deck of cards offering somewhat improved or worsen hands the next time around, and the game has no ends in sight. 
What will the real change looks like? 
Public ownership of the medical services vs public paying for the services. 
Unfortunatly, almost all health care systems are a mixture of public and private paying for services, and its the ratio that varies. In America, that ratio is in favor of private over public coverage.
What can be done immediately, cause overhaul of the whole system is not practical at this time, disruption takes time for adaptation:
Place Medicare for open enrollment to every citizen and legal permanent resident of United State no matter their age or medical history.
Deduct from the citizens who enroll the same percentage they pay in their payroll taxes currently for medicare for their coverage under the name family health care coverage, and respectfully their employers too.
Employees can have a choice to keep their current employer provided healthcare insurance or opt out.
Eventually, as more and more employees opt out for public instead of private insurance, the system will transform itself into one Medicare for all system.
Currently Medicare deduct 1.45% from employers and 1.45% from employees. 
Opening Medicare for all will respectfully means contributing 2.90% from each, employers and employees.
What happens to people who are self employed or who are uninsured via employers?
They should be able to enroll in Medicare for all paying 5.80% of their income according their tax returns filings from the previous year in monthly installments or a lump deduction when filing for taxes the following year.
Every member of Medicare for all will enjoy the same coverage as current Medicare participants age 65 and over.
Its a simple start.
It is not breaking the Medical Industrial complex, but it is a stepping stone from the current injustice we all endure under the current American healthcare system.
The employers will have to offer the option to their full time employees.
Part time employees will have the healthcare coverage not having a bill to pay every month cause they can opt out for tax return filings.
I am sure part of the population will always opt out for private insurance, so god speed to all.
It is completely different issues how to fix medicare, and i will not dwell into that theme now.
Political victories are one step at the time until those step increase and turn into sprint and overrun the current system. We are not there yet, but we are warmed enough after the ACA to move to the next step.
And Im sure democrats will compromise and make Medicare for all something else then what I think is needed to be done, but whatever Medicare for all look like in the future, it will be step ahead breaking new grounds.
It will be transition toward universal healthcare system America desperately need.
It is a rational and right thing to do.
I hope 2018 midterm will flip the house and make advance in the senate, so we as a Nation will be closer to valid Medicare for all bill passing in my lifetime.
I will welcome any universal single payer healthcare system in America.