When, not if, when we get back in power

[Phoenix61]

The first thing we do is shove single payer health care down the repubs throats and be done with it. Health care is a right. Stop treating it like an industry and there will be more than enough money to pay for actual care. Economically, it is much cheaper to keep people healthy then wait till someone has to call 911 and haul them off in an ambulance.

[dchill]

1. The insurance "industry" (lobby) has proven itself...

to be a serious, deliberate impediment to actual health, or benefit to health. Health care IS a government responsibility.

[davsand]

2. Be sure you send Joe Lieberman to the moon before then.

NEVER forget that Joe was the big sticking point to public option. Had he acted like a human being instead of a turd we would not be facing this ACA debate right now.

Joe and EVERY other blue dog needs to be facing a primary and they need to get sent packing if we ever hope to see single payer.



Laura

[yeoman6987]

3. First thing I would do is require every person to get a full body scan of their body annually

The amount of savings on detecting cancer at stage 1 would be incredible as well as other ailments.

[Marengo]

14. How would that be enforced? Would there be a penalty for noncompliance?

[yeoman6987]

16. I guess I exaggerated. I just think that would solve all our problems

[Hekate]

18. The amount of cancer caused by that repeated level of radiation would overshadow...

...any "savings" due to the putative discovery of other cancers.

I, for one, would refuse.

[oberliner]

4. Government run health care will not fly

No matter how much it makes sense. It has zero chance. Even many Democrats will oppose it.

[Phoenix61]

5. Why not?

Piggyback it onto Tri-Care by adding a non-military category. The net works are already there and there isn't the public perception that this free medical care. People would still pay premiums but with the profit based insurance company out of the way there would be an automatic cost savings.

http://www.tricare.mil/

[oberliner]

7. People think the government doesn't run things well

At least not on such a large scale. Again, I am talking perception, not necessarily reality.

[Phoenix61]

8. Very, very true

but that's why I think piggybacking it onto Tricare would be helpful. People that have it, really like it and could reassure others that it works well. Most people have never heard of it so they don't have any preconceived ideas about it. A lot of doctors, hospitals etc currently accept it so they could reassure their peers that it works. I realize it would be a really, really big push but I think it is more doable than "Medicare for all." Sadly, Medicare has a negative perception, some see it as something "those people" have and believe that you get substandard care if you have it. Having a retired high ranking military person as the spokesperson would go far to reassure even those who voted for Trump that Tri-Care is good insurance.

[Talk Is Cheap]

9. You mean like Medicare and the VA?

'Government can't do it right' (or similar phrases) is a republican meme.

[oberliner]

13. I agree that it is a Republican meme

I am just saying that it is a powerful one that has taken hold on a lot of the population (even some who are not Republicans).

[haele]

15. The only problem with the VA is funding for the facilities and admin.

The VA has been underfunded for decades; first because all the old WWI and II vets decided that Cold War/Korean conflict Vets weren't really "Vets", and Vietnam Vets were weak losers, so they didn't push to keep the VA robust while sitting around reminiscing at the VFW, and then the Privateer "trickle down" types saw no use in any sort of public safety net, because who cared about old, useless people when you only needed a fungible work force to support Wall Street.

The VA health services themselves for the most part are world class quality, especially for traumatic injuries, prosthesis, chronic work related issues and Geriatrics. The large district VA hospitals are often "teaching" or research medical facilities associated with Universities and major medical research facilities.
VA hospitals are being used to support Brain trauma and other mental health research (including PTSD and dementia).

The problems with the VA are funding - not enough facilities - especially in rural areas where veterans have often settled down or retired, not enough people to handle triage and scheduling, not enough doctors or PAs or nurses hired over the past two decades. And of course, thanks to the Shrub and his Dad (Gulf War I health issues are still cropping up), there are a huge backlog of Vets and dependent family members who are eligible for VA medical services, but haven't been able to get them.

Haele

[Talk Is Cheap]

17. I don't have knowledge about what you wrote in your 1st paragraph...

But, yes, I understand that the VA does provide 'world class' health services.

And, yes, funding is always a problem - especially with republicans. Republicans
start wars and fill up the VA, but they could care less about the vets' healthcare.
Disgusting.

[Cosmocat]

6. Yeah - this would imply that the people of this country will magically become

non-dumbasses ...

First, assuming republicans are ever actually held accountable.

[MineralMan]

10. Yup. Our next Democratic President should, if we have a Democratic Congress,

simply institute Medicare for All and have done with it. That's the most practical and economical way to do this.

Let the private insurers issue policies to cover a 20% deductible, like they do for Medicare recipients. They LOVE those policies, as anyone over 65 can tell you, based on all the mailings we get during the open enrollment period. They WANT you to buy one, and they're cheap.

So, Medicare for All. Cradle to grave for everyone. Do it, folks!

[Blaukraut]

11. Our window of opportunity will be small

If history bears out, IF we get the Presidency and a majority in both houses, it will only last until the next midterms, when voters will have forgotten all about who hurt them and who helped them.

[burnbaby]

12. I wish

they would do it now. I'm so desperate for insurance