Lower the Medicare eligibility age to 55

[eridani]

As long as so many are into incrementalism here, that particular bit of incrementalism is something I would back in a New York minute.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

1. Hell, lower it to 45.

Lots of us have chronic health problems before we are 65.

I was diagosed with hypertension when I was 35.

[eridani]

2. Why noit? Eventually, everybody is in. n/t

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. My first chronic health problem started when I was a little kid.

Constant allergies and nearsightedness (needed glasses badly).

[Ms. Toad]

12. My daughter's first started at age 3

diagnosed at age 4 - now at 18 she was just diagnosed with a second one and costs about $60,000 in medical care - as long as nothing goes wrong.

[Cleita]

4. Lower it to conception. Medicare for all regardless of age is the

goal we should strive for. Bernie Sanders gave a stirring half hour commentary on CSPAN this morning. I hope somebody posts the video. He seems to be impassioned for single payer again. For a while he seemed ready to accept a hybrid insurance/public option plan, but like some of us has changed his mind back to single payer or bust because he sees that the insurance lobby will kill any meaningful legislation until we get rid of them.

[Oregone]

5. Lower it to 0 years old

[stray cat]

6. And increase taxes on all of us to pay for it - remember coming up with a payment plan

I pay about 8000 per year for insurance for one employee - I expect we need to come up with a similar amount or close to it for everyone in the US - which may be the way to go but no plans for benefits without being honest about where the money comes from. People talk as if health care is free because it is a right - nothing consumable is free.

[dflprincess]

8. If we're all in the same pool,

spreading the risk across all age groups and conditions it would probably cost less.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Our wonderful Demoratic candidate who ran against Pat Roberts proposed this last year

Sadly, he lost the election.

I love this idea. I could retire now. :woohoo:

[galileoreloaded]

9. Let me guess, you are 55..............

Twenty years or thirty for me, who's counting right?

[eridani]

13. 62. A lot of people support single payer, but also are into incrementalism

If you knock down the eligible age by 5 years esch year, starting now, we eventually get to zero.

[scarletwoman]

10. Works for me! It's a start in the right direction at least.

You can join AARP at age 55, after all. :)

[Dappleganger]

11. Let's FIX Medicare, first.

Then start offering it to children from birth through college.
Too many kids are falling through the cracks.

[Cleita]

14. The only fix Medicare needs is to increase funding and extending benefits

after kicking out the insurance companies and pharmaceuticals that are bleeding it dry through Medicare Advantage HMOs and Medicare, Part "D". Then we can extend it to everyone.