General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Getting more conservative as you get older? [View all]mythology
(9,527 posts)In other countries supplemental insurance exists. If we went straight to a medicare for all program without adjusting the provider payments up (particularly to GPs) we would have a major problem. Due to the way we have funded med school based on student loan debt, devalued GPs, had more expensive advanced tests become the norm (I've had probably a dozen Mri scans) and many other reasons, our system is built to survive on just medicare. Realistically, any plan to change our system to a single payer would be a massive shock to the system. There is a reason very few countries have single payer.
I suspect switching directly to single payer would reinforce a worse two track system for health care. Those who are able to afford a secondary insurance or a concierge medical practice and those who can't.
A more measured approach would be to expand the ACA to make it better resemble the system in place in the Netherlands.