Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned why Republicans are happy to pay for tax cuts and "unlimited war" but the GOP, and some Democrats, don't see "Medicare-for-all" or other progressive ideas as financially feasible. "People talk about the sticker shock of Medicare-for-all, but not of our existing system," Ocasio-Cortez said during an interview on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time."
More info in the article
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/08/politics/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-cnntv/index.html
My thoughts on this news
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the prefect candidate for the corruption we are seeing in US politics today. She is saying loudly on mainstream media exactly what the majority of Americans have been thinking and screaming for the last 30 plus years! There is plenty of money in the economy to provide healthcare and college education for all Americans, the problem is our politicians are bribed and greedy corporatist puppets who do not want to give those services to the American people. Because when they do that means they will be earning less revenue and profits. Everyone in America needs to be voting for politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, otherwise the rich will continue getting richer while the population of the poor class keeps increasing...
She's so awesome.
$32.6 trillion dollars over 10 years averaging $3.26 trillion a year. The entire revenue for the Federal Government is around $3.7 trillion a year. So you're talking about almost the entire Federal Budget to make that happen. Our military budget is under $1 trillion per year, so even if we got rid of our whole military that wouldn't cover 1/3 of want is needed. I just don't see how this is feasible.
Because the current system costs more money and covers less people less effectively.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/07/upshot/why-single-payer-health-care-saves-money.html
In theory sure it could save money, but even theoretically some of the numbers are outrageous. Quoted from that article you posted "Discussions of the California measure have stalled, however, in the wake of preliminary estimates pegging the cost of the program as greater than the entire state government budget. " That is in a pro single-payer healthcare article. California is probably the most liberal state in the U.S. and has the economy 6th largest economy in the world. If this plan is feasible shouldn't California be able to pull it off? I want to see sick people covered too, I just don't think this is the way to do it.
Because every single other developed country with universal healthcare is wrong apparently. Why are you anti-science and anti-fact?
Every single other developed country does not have a single-payer system, some do and some don't. That is a popular talking point, but its just not true. The systems vary from country to country. For example Switzerland, Canada, and France all have different systems. In countries that have single-payer systems a lot of people have supplemental insurance. Have you ever asked yourself why they need supplemental insurance? Don't do the leftist "You're anti (whatever), have a conversation with me here.
Obviously there are differences, the point being that you don't need to be rich and wealthy to be allowed to live. America is committing a genocide of poor people, and part one of that genocide is lack of medical attention for preventable illness.
You can have supplemental insurance if you want, if you want a more personal doctor, specialist, etc, with less wait times then by all means, go for it, but that does't mean poor people have to die. There are tiers of everything. I can go to McDonald's and grab a $1 hamburger to live for the day, or I can go to Five Guys and get a $12 burger because it tastes better.
If you have cancer and the wait time to see a specialist is 6 months that isn't really a preference thing though. That situation will hurt the poor who aren't able to purchase that supplemental plan. That type of stuff happens in single-payer countries.
Like @cyberdemon531 said, our current private health insurance system currently costs Americans more than a single payer government health insurance system.
https://steemit.com/politics/@suffragator/medicare-for-all-in-america-will-cost-americans-less-than-private-health-insurance
This has already mathematically been proven by economists in the USA and many other countries that already use single payer health insurance systems.
Yes, some people will pay more in taxes, but for the majority of Americans the increase in taxes will be less than what they are currently paying to private health insurance companies, and every single American will have health insurance coverage.
Currently in the USA Medicare overhead cost is only 1%, that means every dollar an American pays to fund Medicare health insurance only 1 penny goes to the American workers who make the system work, they collect the money and make payments to doctors/hospitals etc... Private health insurance overhead cost is currently 20%, that means every dollar an American pays to a private health insurance corporation 20 cents of that goes to the corporation, most of that money ends up in the pockets of CEOs and executives who run those corporations.
This is not some crazy out of the box idea, this is a proven system that works in many countries and benefits many people. The only reason it has not been implemented in America is because corporations run this country and politicians are their puppets...
Do you agree that it will cost $32.6 trillion dollars over 10 years to implement Medicare for all (at least that is the estimate)?
Yes, but the current private health insurance system we have today, will cost Americans $34 to $40 trillion dollars over 10 years, depending on which study you read. So Medicare for all is cheaper and it gives health insurance to every American.
But a lot of people get supplemental plans with medicare. So medicare isn't going to cover everyone in total. There will be other plans on top of that $32.6 trillion. It sounds like a maybe break even plan.
You are certainly free to get whatever health insurance coverage you want, but most people on medicare only have medicare coverage.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/should-i-keep-regular-health-insurance-if-im-enrolling-in-medicare
I am not saying Medicare in the USA is a perfect system, it can be improved, but it is much better and cheaper than any private health insurance system in the USA.
I'm not seeing that, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Thanks for keeping it civil.
Agreed she's great