Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumSpeaker Pelosi-There's no need to reinvent health care -- just improve Obamacare
I agree with Speaker Pelosi https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/17/nancy-pelosi-no-need-to-reinvent-health-care-improve-obamacare.html?__source=sharebar|twitter&par=sharebar
God bless 2020 Democratic presidential candidates putting forth Medicare for All proposals, Pelosi said in an interview with Mad Money host Jim Cramer. But know what that entails.
Pelosis thoughts on how to improve the nations health-care laws appear to align with those of former Vice President Joe Biden, who in his 2020 presidential bid is calling for building on provisions of Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act.
I believe the path to health care for all is a path following the lead of the Affordable Care Act, Pelosi told Cramer. Lets use our energy to have health care for all Americans, and that involves over 150 million families that have it through the private sector.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
area51
(11,868 posts)Starting with the ACA is closer to reinventing the wheel.
Please take a look at info from the physicians' group PNHP.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)MFA might fly if 65% of voters really want it.
Dont think they do right now, and probably wont until a Public Option convinces them its a better deal.
A PO with enhanced subsidies is the big idea that might actually work.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Beartracks
(12,761 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,355 posts)not popular and very difficult to implement...public option ...regulation will lead to the same thing...Universal healthcare.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)What would be taken from it would be use of the current law allowing healthcare under the label "Medicare" to create a whole new system. At least you should hope it'd be a whole new system.
My husband and I not only pay taxes on our Medicare Part B benefit (because we need to use his Social Security to pay for it) but also purchase 5 additional personal policies to fill big gaps in coverage so medical expenses won't break us. It'd be 6 but my husband doesn't need medication coverage so far. These costs are onerous for us, but at our age running through our retirement savings and then someday having to sell our home to pay for medical care under Medicare would otherwise be all too possible.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,455 posts)Combined with ONE supplemental plan (not sure why someone has to buy 5 plans) they are the best healthcare coverage I've had with plenty of doctors to choose from and I am perotected from the medical debt that broke me financially in the past. Medicare and a supplemental are great for coverage and relief from worrying about financial ruin.
If most people knew how it worked they would want it expanded.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)so you don't someday have sorted stacks of unpaid medical bills on your table costs significant money every month, though, money a whole lot of people just don't have. So, many millions of people do without, knowing that they could be one course of cancer treatment or occluded arteries away from financial devastation.
The other policies are my medication policy, and that matters when one drug alone out of several costs over $300, and our dental and eye policies -- those both only pay part, but for us every bit counts.
Universal healthcare means replacing this system and spreading costs across society to bring the blessings of modern medicine to everyone, not adopting old problems for everyone. And that's why letting the nation think that'll mostly just mean letting everyone qualify for "Medicare" is a scam. Brilliant marketing ploy, but dishonest. It wouldn't be Medicare for All, it'd be something new for all.
Something very like the ACA in fact. I could never understand why Sanders would try to destroy the ACA only to replace it with a very similar profit-based system, instead of completing and advancing what we have up and running well. But Democrats created the ACA when he insisted they were just Republicans at heart and of course he was, as usual, self-sidelined while others lead the way. I strongly wonder if the answer isn't in the assault on his belief system.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,455 posts)It's called healthcare but it's really one of the most profitbable businesses in this country while providing shitty coverage or no coverage at all for millions.
And, no, the "system" isn't going to be replaced, it's going to be expanded. So that is a dishonest meme happily spread by people who want to keep putting money into the pockets of those who own and run big corporations - again, some of the most profitable in this country, while millions are NOW going without and going into financial ruin.
As I said, the ACA isn't working for millions and millions more still going into great debt with it. Your slagging of Sanders doesn't really have anything to with the overall discussion. He's just one senator among many officials and everyday people who want a different "system" than what we have, one based on healthcare, not healthcare companies profits.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)It'd also be very similar to what the ACA would be once completed.
Starting over from scratch, with at least 7 years to fully implement, doesn't just make "MfA" a morally highly questionable political banner to power a campaign with, it's potentially dangerous because the Republicans -- who will always be with us -- would be looking for every opportunity to make us lose ground in the changeover.
Let's not forget it could not be completed in one presidential term also. If the Republicans won the presidency and one or both houses of congress in 2024, completing the rollout of MfA would fall to them...
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,455 posts)You need to do a LOT more research on the subject. What we have now is the same old system based on PROFIT, not on healthcare, and that's the problem no matter how some want to change the subject.
I find it funny that we had this discussion back in 2008 when the Democratic position was that the system was broken and needed to be fixed. Now SOME Democrats are arguing that everything is ok, just needs a tweak or two, when the facts show the opposite.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)has real contempt for his own opportunistic plan because of that. It's not socialized medicine in any way, it's a campaign slogan to run on, not his dream. The VA is socialized medicine, btw, Medicare is emphatically NOT.
Might as well point out, again, that CONGRESS legislates. Although many, many very bright, very hardworking people in every pertinent discipline made the ACA reality, the one person credited with battling it through to law in its present, instead of gutted, form, against massive resistance by both Republicans and conservative and regretfully gutless Democrats, is Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She is greatly admired for that enormous accomplishment and contribution to America by those who know.
Now, look forward to 2020 and all the enormous problems a hopefully empowered Democratic administration will have to start tackling immediately, with only so much political "capital" to spend. You should be very glad they won't be expending tremendous amounts of time and capital recreating a new Obamacare-type program instead of moving forward with the ACA as one item on their critical to-do list.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,110 posts)Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!! or
Elizabeth & Bernie 2020!!
Either way, welcome to the revolution!!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(295,929 posts)Thanks, Goth
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Maven
(10,533 posts)Ugh
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
dweller
(23,562 posts)and STOP letting our health and our care be a political football that's constantly
being threatened with cancellation, and subject to the whims of greedy insurance companies whose only concern is their bottom line ...
It's obvious Hair Twitler and the cronies he represent HAVE NO PLAN,
so move on to what works for us (the citizens) in the most efficient way
and stop jerking us around...
it's not good for our health
✌🏼
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Nasruddin
(741 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Response to Gothmog (Original post)
Post removed
BlueMississippi
(776 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)I agree with Speaker Pelosi https://politicalwire.com/2019/09/17/pelosi-wants-focus-on-obamacare/
Said Pelosi: God bless 2020 Democratic presidential candidates putting forth Medicare for All proposals, but know what that entails. I believe the path to health care for all is a path following the lead of the Affordable Care Act. Lets use our energy to have health care for all Americans, and that involves over 150 million families that have it through the private sector.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Getting rid of Obamacare is a bad move https://politicalwire.com/2019/09/30/obamacare-has-made-people-healthier/
Such findings are part of an emerging mosaic of evidence that, nearly a decade after it became one of the most polarizing health-care laws in U.S. history, the ACA is making some Americans healthier and less likely to die.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
onetexan
(12,994 posts)Joe Biden said - keep Obamacare and improve it. More economical and less pain to get it done.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)who brought us national healthcare after over 70 years of fierce conservative opposition. With her leading the battle in congress, they finally lost. And with her leading the battle, the ACA will become what we all need it to be.
Thank you with all my heart, Nancy.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
aikoaiko
(34,127 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Voltaire2
(12,632 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Tarheel_Dem
(31,211 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
calguy
(5,225 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,455 posts)For all its benefits the ACA did not work for many, many people in the middle class, and it hasn't reduced healthcare costs in many areas. What it does do is keep the profit motive front and center in our corrupt healthcare system, and that is the main problem.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Link to tweet
Depending on whom you ask, cost estimates range from $2.5 trillion to $4.7 trillion per year. It's important to keep in mind that the entire federal budget for fiscal year 2020 is $4.7 trillion (including a $1.1 trillion-dollar deficit). Basically, we would have to double the size of the government through higher taxes on every American employee and fundamentally alter the structure of the American economy.....
Medicare for All fans propose to demolish our current health care system that certainly needs streamlining, more competition between insurance companies and plans and new and better technology. Other issues that must be addressed are drug manufacturing and distribution networks and hospital consolidation.
While we desperately need reform, any realistic policy proposal would recognize that 90 percent of Americans currently have health insurance. Instead, reasonable politicians should focus on how to cover those who are uninsured or underinsured in our current system.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(295,929 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
oasis
(49,152 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
DrFunkenstein
(8,745 posts)Out of the average of about $19,000 that U.S. workers and their employers pay for family coverage each year, $5,700 goes toward administrative costs. That's kitchen table stuff right there.
Let's see what Warren has to say earlier this year:
"Ive signed onto Medicare for All. Ive signed on to another one that gives an option for buying in to Medicaid. There are different ways we can get there. But the key has to be always keep the center of the bullseye in mind. And that is affordable health care for every American."
It's that sort of rigid idealism that is going to doom her candidacy. Oh, wait...Did she just say that she was open to an open to an option to buy in?
Never mind! She's gonna win this thing!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Doremus
(7,261 posts)Stop appeasing monied interests once and for all!
It's beyond time to put people above profits. Not in baby steps that may or may not pan out by the time the next president and the next president and the next president take over....
The right thing right now. Anything else is bullshit. And we're idiots if we fall for it again.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(295,929 posts)the first one to actually do it.. whereas the others are just talking about it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Doremus
(7,261 posts)When we take the government back next year, it will be a time to move forward, fixing what the repukes have destroyed, as usual, AND implementing bold new programs to take us and our children into the future.
Incrementalism had its run. No more. Especially if we don't need to do it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(295,929 posts)to build on. Finally President Obama got it through.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)This is from a non-partisan think group that is well respected http://www.crfb.org/papers/choices-financing-medicare-all-preliminary-analysis
In the coming months, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget will publish a detailed analysis describing numerous ways to finance Medicare for All and the consequences and trade-offs associated with each choice. This paper provides our preliminary estimates of the magnitude of each potential change and a brief discussion of the types of trade-offs policymakers will need to consider.
We find that Medicare for All could be financed with:
A 32 percent payroll tax
A 25 percent income surtax
A 42 percent value-added tax (VAT)
A mandatory public premium averaging $7,500 per capita the equivalent of $12,000 per individual not otherwise on public insurance
More than doubling all individual and corporate income tax rates
An 80 percent reduction in non-health federal spending
A 108 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increase in the national debt
Impossibly high taxes on high earners, corporations, and the financial sector
A combination of approaches
Each of these choices would have consequences for the distribution of income, growth in the economy, and ability to raise new revenue. Some of these consequences could be balanced against each other by adopting a combination approach that includes smaller versions of several of the options as well as additional policies.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Link to tweet
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(295,929 posts)during the BLUE WAVE Midterms!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Chemisse
(30,793 posts)She is darned good at seeing how things would play out. My opinion is that the Medicare-for-All fight would be very ugly, and quite possibly cost us the presidential election, whereas the ACA idea is already pretty popular among a wide swath of Americans and can be nicely expanded once Dems are in power.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Kurt V.
(5,624 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)There is a fundamental conflict of interest between the business of providing insurance and the service that business is supposed to provide.
You can't regulate that out of the equation.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Link to tweet
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)So fast and comparatively easy. A minimum 7-year wait to implement a new, unwritten and unproven system over 2 presidential terms, possibly 3, and possibly over as many as 6 changes in congressional power is scary. All the while Republicans fighting to destroy it.
Also why on earth would we endorse anything whose supporters would refuse any improvements to the ACA over those years for political reasons. As Sanders has already been doing: this year alone he refused to support bills that would lower ACA premiums and improve coverages, and make other improvements, because they'd weaken support for his plan to destroy it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Link to tweet
Im not a big fan of Medicare-for-all, Pelosi told Bloomberg TV on Friday. She cited the cost. She noted the comfort level that some people have with their current private insurance. And she cautioned, Remember November. Pushing Medicare-for-all would increase the vote in my own district, the California Democrat said, but thats not what we need to do in order to win the electoral college.
Indeed. For years after passage of the Affordable Care Act, Democrats paid a steep, and unfair, political price for enacting the law. Then the electoral calculus flipped. Health care became a political winner for Democrats, and the Trump administration offered the party a gift with its continuing crusade against the ACA.....
A smart party would seize this opening and go on the offensive against the Republican effort to take popular coverage away from millions. Instead, the Democratic presidential field is immersed in a destructive internecine battle over the wisdom of a massive entitlement expansion. Imagine President Trump hammering Democratic nominee Warren in a general-election campaign. He would accuse her of plotting to take away your private insurance, dangerously hiking federal spending and, citing Warrens primary rivals, ultimately socking the middle class with a tax increase when she cant raise enough otherwise.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden