Bernie Sanders: We Need Medicare for All, Not Cutbacks That Will Kill Our Seniors

[FreakinDJ]

Bernie Sanders: We Need Medicare for All, Not Cutbacks That Will Kill Our Seniors


Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Maryland Representative Donna Edwards joined the rally celebrating the 50th anniversary of Medicare in Washington, D.C. this Thursday with several hundred nurses, health care workers, and labor allies.

Senator Sanders touted the success of the Medicare program and the millions of seniors and disabled patients it has helped. "Before Medicare, If you were poor and old or sick, you had no options, you died or you suffered," he said.

The familiar Sanders crusade to fix financial inequalities is a key reason Sanders says he supports a single-payer system and promised to announce legislation within the next year. "We need to expand Medicare to cover every man, woman, and child," he told the cheering crowd. "Every year, thousands die just because they can't afford to go to the doctor. No one should go into the hospital and have to file for bankruptcy when they come out." The Sanders plan, he said, will provide healthcare through the most "cost effective way, and that is a Medicare for all."


http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/bernie-sanders-draws-line-sand-we-need-medicare-all-not-cutbacks-will-kill-our

[Hoyt]

1. Well, if that is what he wants, he needs to talk about amending Medicare

so patients won't go bankrupt when they go into a hospital.

If a Medicare beneficiary doesn't have a really good supplemental policy -- to cover coinsurance -- (at extra cost to them), a hospital admission, or outpatient treatment, for a serious illness will bankrupt many of them.

That advice goes for all candidates, not just picking on Sanders.

[Adrahil]

10. +1

Medicare is an important program. But it is well short, IMO, of comprehensive health care.

[sfpcjock]

2. Medicare Part E(verybody) can solve the cost ripoff we have of paying 200% inflated prices

-----and they KNOW it!

[Cosmic Kitten]

3. K&R Big Time

We need to defend our social safety net
against Wall St parasites that want to
drain the lifeblood of the middle class.

[LWolf]

4. K & R

[phantom power]

5. He is so awesome

[Scuba]

6. Including dental, optical, hearing aids and mental health services please.

And yes, we can afford it.

[L0oniX]

7. K & R

[taught_me_patience]

8. And how does he propose to pay for it?

Article doesn't answer, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say "tax the rich". His proposals are like a kid in a candy store... go crazy and mommy and daddy will pay for everything.

[Cheese Sandwich]

9. We do need that.

It's really time.