HEALTH
We are all susceptible to various illnesses, from the common cold and the flu to cancer and depression. These sicknesses can be random, painful, and devastating. When we are well physically, mentally, and emotionally, we have the ability to learn, grow, tend to our responsibilities, and contribute to society. Therefore, not only is healthcare a human right, it also makes economic sense.
Why is this chakra broken?
Healthcare is expensive
Not everyone is covered
Medical debt
Healthcare is expensive
Somehow we pay more than double in fees and services despite our healthcare system being ranked the worst out of 11 developed countries.
Not everyone is covered
29 million Americans don’t have access to health care, and because of that 32,000-45,000 people die every year.
Medical debt
Medical debt is the top cause of individual bankruptcies. 1 in 6 Americans have overdue medical bills that total $81 billion.
Source: OECD Health Statistics 2016
How do we cover everyone?
Individual mandate system
Public option
Single payer system
Socialized medicine
Individual mandate system
The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) makes everyone buy health insurance. The idea is to move toward getting everyone covered and to protect those with pre-existing conditions. However, insurance companies stay in power and people still have to pay for insurance, which not everyone can afford. This is a conservative idea that got zero Republican votes in Congress.
Public option
A step further is if the government offers a health insurance plan to compete with the private insurance plans to bring down their prices. This still keeps us on a system with insurance. Private insurance companies will find a way to dump the sickest Americans onto this public option, which would over-burden the public system and drive taxes up.
Single payer system
The best idea is Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All, which throws out the concept of private health insurance completely. The government is saying “we gotchu on the healthcare coverage, so you can go see any private doctor”.
Socialized medicine
In this system, coverage, healthcare, and medicine are all controlled by the government.
Why is Medicare for All the obvious choice?
Capitalism works when competition drives people to work harder, more efficiently, or provide more reliable service. We want doctors to compete for patients to get the best healthcare service. However, nobody cares about competition among healthcare coverage providers, so the concept of health insurance makes no sense. Let’s get rid of it. Here’s what will happen if we do:
Save money
Go to any doctor
More choice of how we make a living
Combat outsourcing
Paradigm shift in healthcare
Drastically lower precription drug prices
Bring down treatment costs
Doesn't eliminate the private market
Save money
We are estimated to save $5.1-17 trillion over the next 10 years because we would removed the middleman of insurance companies. Your public taxes go up a little because the government is now covering your healthcare, but you pay zero private taxes in the form of premiums, deductibles, or co-payments, so you save money.
Go to any doctor
There is no concern of whether your favorite doctor is in your “network”. It doesn’t matter if you get sick when you are traveling across the country. You will be able to find a doctor.
More choice of how we make a living
Health coverage is no longer tied to your work. You can change jobs or start your own business.
Combat outsourcing
Since employers don’t have to pay for their employees’ health coverage, there is less pressure for them to ship their companies overseas. We can bring back jobs and keep them here.
Paradigm shift in healthcare
There is no penalty for seeing the doctor, so people are more likely to go in for their routine check-ups. Our emphasis will shift toward screening and early disease detection, which can greatly improve the success of treatment and save even more money and lives.
Drastically lower precription drug prices
The government can negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the costs of prescription drugs. If they refuse, the government will open the door for generic competition using a competitive license.
Bring down treatment costs
Medicare doesn’t cover unnecessary expensive tests and treatments, so the burden is now on doctors to be smart about how they treat patients.
Doesn't eliminate the private market
Though this plan is comprehensive, you may still purchase supplemental health insurance if you want something like cosmetic surgery. It does ban health insurance companies from claiming to cover something that Medicare for All already covers. Because that’s called a scam.
What about the current medical debt?
We shouldn’t just look toward the future, we should also turn around and help those who are currently suffering from a disastrous health care system. Bernie Sanders has a separate bill to cancel all $81 billion in medical debt. This will provide millions of individuals and families with the relief they desperately need, allowing them to contribute to the economy.
Who supports Medicare for All?
The current Medicare program is massively popular at close to 90 % favorability among people aged 65+. 70 % of all Americans are in favor of Medicare for All, including 52 % of Republicans.This plan is championed by Bernie Sanders, who wrote the damn bill and is the only one I trust on this issue. Be wary of other politicians, who have co-opted the term “Medicare for All” but are actually for a public option.
