Medicare for all is the newest buzzword these days. Putting everyone on a Medicare type system that the government regulates and enforces, is the general premise. In theory it makes some sense, except when you break down the costs compared to what you actually get. Its going to be a tough sell, to put it mildly. Roughly 180 million Americans receive their healthcare from their employer. To make a switch to a government run system has most people more than a little skeptical. If they can’t get the DMV and Post Office right, how can they possibly take on this giant undertaking? Having been involved in the government for many years….I echo those fears!
The cost would be astronomical, and that’s the first estimates
When you have the government giving you figures like 36 TRILLION for the first 10 years…you KNOW its going to go WAY over that number. Can you say “bullet train”, or Bay Bridge, or BART or Light Rail? Proponents say the transition would be easy. OK….what is ever easy when it comes to something of this nature. A SinglePayer system has been compared to Canada or the UK, in terms of effectiveness. I’m sorry, the cultures in both of those countries are significantly different. Americans don’t want to have to wait an extended time to see a General Practitioner, let alone the months wait for a Specialist. You would have a revolution on your hands.
What will probably happen at the end of the day
After all of the saber rattling, chanting and endless fruitless debates, we will probably end up bringing back some part of ObamaCare and trying to retool what is left of the Affordable Care Act. Since no one can seem to agree on anything these days, I highly doubt that something this giant will be voted in, any time soon.
For each of us….we just need to learn to be good consumers, especially when it comes to healthcare. When a doctor suggests a bunch of tests or procedures, question them, do your own research, be your own good advocate!!
Steve Brauer-Principal, Brauer Insurance Services LLC, (877) 421-4325, www.brauerinsurance.com