Bernie Sanders’ Medicare-For-All Bill

Bernie Sanders introduced the Medicare-For-All bill in the Senate in September (S1804). It currently has 16 co-sponsors including Senator Kamala Harris from California.   (Dianne Feinstein has not signed, as yet.)  There are 27 House Representatives who support single payer Medicare-For-All legislation – not on the list is our Representative, Tom McClintock.

The bill will not pass this current Congress.  However, big changes are expected in the 2018 and 2020 elections.  We need to keep talking about Medicare-For-All for the next few years to educate everyone and thereby muster massive public support.  And we need to replace our Representative with someone who supports Medicare-For-All.

Here is a quick primer on what is in Sanders’ bill – the basics and what problems it will solve:  https://www.npr.org/2017/09/14/550768280/heres-whats-in-bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all-bill

Also, attached are some debunked myths and lies about Medicare-For-All.  The information came from the Public Citizen site.

• • Single-payer is government-run health care. 

Wrong.

• That would be the Veterans Administration.  Or the British health care system.  Where the government pays for the doctors and hospitals.
• Under single-payer, you get a health care car and you can go to any doctor or hospital in the United States.
• Doctors are not employees of the government.
• Hospitals remain in private hands.
• You get free choice of doctor and hospital.

• • Single-payer will lead to rationing, like in Canada.

Wrong.

• Right now in the United States, the private health insurance ration care.
• If you don’t have health insurance, you don’t get health care.  More than 30 million Americans currently lack health insurance.
• That’s why 120 Americans die every day from lack of health care.
• There are some problems in the Canadian sysem, but most of what you hear about long lines is health industry propaganda.
• Zero people die every day in Canada due to lack of health insurance.

• • Costs will skyrocket under single-payer.

Wrong.

• Single-payer is the only health care refore that will save enough money to insure everyone.
• By eliminating the health insurance industry, we save $500 billion a year or more in administrative costs and profits.
• >We then use that money to insure those who lack insurance and fully cover those who are under-insured.
• Yes, more people will be seeking health care because they will now have insurance.  But they will be taking care of medical problems early, thus preventing more costly treatment later.

• • Drugs will be more difficult to get under single-payer.

Wrong.

• The drug industry would have you believe that there will be less research and developent under a single-payer system.
• In fact, much medical research is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health.
• Under single-payer, this would grow.
• Also, drugs would be cheaper under single-payer.
• When all patients are under one system, the payer yields a lot of clout.
• For example, the Veterans Administration gets a 40% discount on drugs because of its buying power.
• This single-payer buying power is the main reason why other countries’ drug prices are lower than ours.
• Now you know why the drug industry is so opposed to single-payer.

• • Single-payer will cover less than the insurance I now have.

Wrong.

• For the majority of Americans, single payer will be a vast improvement.
• All medically-necessary care would be funded through the single-payer, including doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, mental health services, nursing home care, rehab, home care, eye care and dental care.
• An enlightened single-payer will lso result in a sharp increase in public health funding to prevent disease.
• No ore bills.  No more deductibles.  No more co-pays.

• • • Single-payer will cost me more than I’m paying now for private health insurance.

Wrong.

• The vast majority of Americans will pay about the same or less than they are paying now.
• Instead of paying premiums to a private health insurance company, most of us will pay a similar or smaller amount in taxes.
• So right now, if you are paying $8,000 in premiums for a family of four with a $4,000 deductible, your yearly liability is at least $12,000.
• You will probably pay less than that in taxes to fund a universal single-payer.
• There will be no deductible.
• An you can go to see any doctor or check into any hosptial in the United States.

Original docs from Public Citizen: