Medicare for All Is the Solution - The Greanville Post

Mr. President: Why Medicare Isn’t the Problem, It’s the Solution

Editor’s Note: We’re happy to reproduce here Prof. Reich’s arguments in favor of “Medicare for All”, the “Duh!” option for any civilized nation, that is, universal, publicly administrated and guaranteed health care. Articles like these can serve to give good ammo to those who are trying to fight the good fight, convince the confused, and counter the constant pro-business propaganda that envelops all social discourse in the United States. Liberals, however, and the public in general, should not forget that the President and his advisers hardly lack the intelligence, ideas, or facts to know damn well what the correct option is. Their wrong-headed, often criminal, choices in public policy are not dictated by ignorance but by lack of political will, or, as is the case with Obama, was the case with George Bush 2, and was true for practically every individual who got elected to the top job in the nation for generations, by simply serving the interests of a puny constituency that owns them: the nation’s plutocracy. —P. Greanville

13 April 11

Medical costs are soaring because our health-care system is totally screwed up. Doctors and hospitals have every incentive to spend on unnecessary tests, drugs, and procedures.

Estimates of how much would be saved by extending Medicare to cover the entire population range from $58 billion to $400 billion a year. More Americans would get quality health care, and the long-term budget crisis would be sharply reduced.

AFTERSHOCK: The Next Economy and America’s Future.” His ‘Marketplace’ commentaries can be found on publicradio.com and iTunes.

Comments (from original thread). See if you can spot the capitalist troll.

# NCMike 2011-04-13 08:13

# LiberalLibertarian 2011-04-13 09:43

Did you gag when the Insurance Companies stuffed that pant load down your throat?
None of your bilge made any sense nor did it actually address the critical point brought up by Prof. Reich.

# NCMike 2011-04-13 13:27

# soularddave 2011-04-13 19:12

You need to go back and read the article again, sir. The point made over and over, is that many of the costs are ELIMINATED. The billing is direct, and there is none for the unnecessary profit generators like unnecessary MRIs. Medicine just coats less. Medicare payments from workers and taxes on the population are LESS than insurance premiums that are no longer due. When you see a specialist or leave the hospital, there is NO PAY WINDOW.

# Paul 2011-04-13 10:08

NCMike, you make some assumptions here that are ludicrous. Other countries have regulatory systems, maybe not quite as GOOD as ours but they are there. As for rationed services, services are rationed here much more than in countries with universal coverage. You ignore the fact that in order to even be able to get treated in the US, you have to have cash or insurance coverage up front. I know this for a fact because I have had to watch as 3 different family members died due to lack of treatment because the hospitals refused to treat them without a deposit of $75,000, which they did not have.

# NCMike 2011-04-13 12:54

# Paul 2011-04-13 10:08

This is a continuation of my comments. The system said it was too long.

# NCMike 2011-04-13 13:31

Look deeper into the numbers. Look at who has the the better numbers for success at treating the truly deadly diseases. Compare apples to apples. The US has more costly medical treatment because it has better results.

# Observer 47 2011-04-13 11:16

# maddave 2011-04-13 13:03

Basic dental health care is a low-pay option, too, and my wait to see top-rated physicians is no different from that experienced by Mr. or Mrs. Got-rocks, the self-insured plutocrats.

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