Medicare For All is a universal health care plan that was developed by Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders. This would be built off what former President Barack Obama had with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Medicare For All is a solution that would help give health insurance at affordable rates, covering primary and specialty healthcare, vision, hearing, dental, mental health,addiction services, and many other essential health care solutions.
Not much is known on where funding would come from for this new health care solution. However, it is sure to be discussed soon with the 2020 elections coming up.
The first thing that needs to be viewed is how this will pass through Congress. The current House of Representatives may be inclined to pass this Medicare For All plan, whereas, the Senate would be completely opposed. This could change come 2020, but there will still be many opposers, including Republicans and moderates, the insurance lobby, and other special interests. This new plan would require a total reboot of our current healthcare, which would cause a reworking of the tax code, rearranging of national priorities, and either cause reconstruction or abolishment of the health insurance industry.
With our current healthcare system, some like it, and some hate it. However, more people are without health care than individuals who have health care. Most people will agree that, as a nation, we need to improve health insurance coverage and make it more affordable. President Obama attempted to do so, but unfortunately, due to some flaws in the ACA, it wasn’t all that people hoped for. However, people are becoming hopeful for this Medicare For All plan because they want an expansion of Medicare. Some also support a single payer system, backed by the government, but it doesn’t have to be Medicare.
With the Medicare For All plan possibly destroying the health insurance industry we have now, some citizens are becoming irate. This would mean the abolishment of health insurance plans through employers and private health insurances that users currently have in place.
There is also the giant question in the air of, “who pays for it?” Medicare is not free, and it isn’t all that cheap depending on the individual’s circumstances, needs, and preferences. There are also still costs that Medicare doesn’t cover for some patients, creating even more issues for Medicare For All. Big-ticket items that aren’t covered by Medicare could begin to overwhelm the patient. There is also the government’s single-payer plan, which would cost somewhere in the 30 trillion dollar range over a decade, which would make US citizens pay more in taxes.
This new Medicare For All plan could be very overwhelming and could cause many issues. It could also bring in a new affordable health insurance policy that is easier to acquire.
One thing that isn’t overwhelming is how Emerald Coast Medical Association takes care of its physicians at all government levels. Our Board of Governors routinely take their time to advocate for patients and physicians at the local, state, and federal level. What’s your stance on this issue? Voice your opinion in the comments section below.
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