23 Million Fewer Americans Would Have Health Coverage Under Obamacare Repeal Plan

[gwb-trading]

Great, let's have single payer then

Actually single payer would be a cheaper alternative than Obamacare - for the government, individuals, and companies. However it will lead to some of the typical ailments of single payer systems - long waits, falling medical salaries/profits, reduced pharma research, etc.

As I have mentioned previously, if universal healthcare is view by society to be beneficial to implement then single payer is the preferred, most-cost effective alternative. There are plenty of countries (Germany, U.K., Canada, etc.) which can be used as good models for implementation. Many have both a public option and then private insurance which individuals can opt for instead (with slightly increased premiums). The U.S. should consider walking in a single payer direction. Imagine the increased profits at companies when they do not have to pay large amounts of cash to cover employee health benefits under the current private system.

 

[java]

Actually single payer would be a cheaper alternative than Obamacare - for the government, individuals, and companies. However it will lead to some of the typical ailments of single payer systems - long waits, falling medical salaries/profits, reduced pharma research, etc.

As I have mentioned previously, if universal healthcare is view by society to be beneficial to implement then single payer is the preferred, most-cost effective alternative. There are plenty of countries (Germany, U.K., Canada, etc.) which can be used as good models for implementation. Many have both a public option and then private insurance which individuals can opt for instead (with slightly increased premiums). The U.S. should consider walking in a single payer direction. Imagine the increased profits at companies when they do not have to pay large amounts of cash to cover employee health benefits under the current private system.

How about medicaid and medicare for all? All, I mean ALL people should be covered by medicaid if they are poor and ALL, EVERYBODY who is 67 years or older should get medicare no questions asked! How would that be? You can't get more compassionate than that. And we can just make the young workers pay for it all and they will. Now that my friend would be a good healthcare system which takes care of just about everybody.

 

[exGOPer]

If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait until it is free.

Single-PAYER doesn't mean it's free

And there is empirical evidence to prove your statement false.

 

[java]

Single-PAYER doesn't mean it's free

And there is empirical evidence to prove your statement false.

Yes, but all those studies describe money spent on healthcare as "our" money.

 

[exGOPer]

Yes, but all those studies describe money spent on healthcare as "our" money.

So? Collective bargaining power makes things cheaper as opposed to individuals going into the market with 'MY' money

 

[java]

So? Collective bargaining power makes things cheaper as opposed to individuals going into the market with 'MY' money

ha,ha, Individuals going into any market with their own money does not make things more expensive unless there is high demand and a shortage. Otherwise they will seek bargains as a result of competition therefore driving prices and margins lower and tighter. I can tell you a car I buy with my own money will be of either better quality or lower price than a government car, but I won't even be able to buy my own car because the government will be driving prices up to buy cars for everybody.

 

[exGOPer]

ha,ha, Individuals going into any market with their own money does not make things more expensive unless there is high demand and a shortage.

Bargaining individually as opposed to bargaining as a group won't get you the same discount, do I have to explain this now?

 

[java]

Bargaining individually as opposed to bargaining as a group won't get you the same discount, do I have to explain this now?

A healthy individual has more bargaining power than a sick group.

 

[exGOPer]

A healthy individual has more bargaining power than a sick group.

First of all, never mind the fact that this is not how it works (you bargain as a mixture of all)

Second, why doesn't your example talk about a sick or old individual against a mixed group which is how these things work? You think you are going to be healthy and young forever?

 

[gwb-trading]

How about medicaid and medicare for all? All, I mean ALL people should be covered by medicaid if they are poor and ALL, EVERYBODY who is 67 years or older should get medicare no questions asked! How would that be? You can't get more compassionate than that. And we can just make the young workers pay for it all and they will. Now that my friend would be a good healthcare system which takes care of just about everybody.

Actually one of the biggest issues I have with Medicaid is that it is means tested and acts to simply transfer wealth from the majority of tax payers to low income people. Any public program intended for the long-term for people should have its benefits available to all regardless of income - not only be extended to one group of people. So if Medicaid is applicable to the poor then why not extend it to everyone as a single-payer program -- that would make the system equitable and fair.

Medicare starts at age 65 and is different than Medicaid. Out of each paycheck I have been paying 2.9% (1.45% from me and the rest from the employer) into Medicare my entire life, just like Social Security. Medicare is a benefit that I have paid for over 40 years. It is not a means-tested benefit that an individual did not contribute to.