Krugman- Why Not A Public Option for Medicare? [View All]

[n2doc]

But if you want a really radical proposal — but one that, unlike privatization, actually has strong evidence on its side — why not add a true public option to Medicare?

...

Look, I know this isn’t politically feasible, at least not now. But neither is Ryan’s system of inadequate vouchers. And this one has the virtue of being something that experience suggests would actually work if we could overcome the political hurdles.

I’m sure the trolls will be screaming as soon as this is posted. But notice that neither I nor Longman are suggesting that anyone be forced into such a system. It would have to win patients in a fair competition with both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

And what would terrify the right, of course, is the likelihood that genuine socialized medicine would actually win that competition.

whole article:

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/why-not-a-public-option-for-medicare/