Majority Of House Dems Support Medicare For All

[Marilyn MonHoe 11,011]

Just one election cycle ago, the idea of either chamber of Congress passing a single-payer health plan was unthinkable.

That was then.

Now, a simple majority of House Democrats support Medicare for All, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. And it hit that key metric thanks to the endorsement this week by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York).

Jeffries is the 118th member of the House to back the bill, introduced in February, which would install a government-run health system.

“Given the enduring nature of our health care access and affordability crisis, more must be done,” Jeffries, who some Democrats view as a likely successor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), told the Post.

Jayapal’s version of Medicare for All varies slightly from the version introduced in the Senate by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a 2020 presidential candidate. But both would implement a government-run, national health care system that sets low caps on drug prices and allows consumers to pay next to nothing out of pocket. Both would also eliminate private insurance.

Voters, too, are slowly coming around to the idea.

The majority of Americans support the concept of a national health system, and Kaiser Family Foundation research shows that support increasingwhen pollsters ask voters specifically about Medicare for All.

RealClear Opinion Research polls show that 82% of Democrats, and about half of Republicans, support the policy.

That’s reflected in this year’s presidential race, too. Two of the three highest-polling Democrats running for president — Sens. Sanders and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — support Medicare for All.

"We remain the only major country on earth that allows chief executives and stockholders in the health care industry to get incredibly rich, while tens of millions of people suffer because they can't get the health care they need," Sanders wrote in a 2017 New York Times op-ed defending the policy. "This is not what the United States should be about."

 

Source: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qvgvdp/support-for-medicare-for-all-in-congress-just-got-very-real

 

Thank you Bernie for being a true leader and bringing the issue of Medicare For All to the forefront of American politics, a true leader 

[HorusRa2 5,005]

We will make progress despite the centrists & their whining 

[Whispering 18,865]

1 hour ago, Marilyn MonHoe said:

 

Voters, too, are slowly coming around to the idea.

The majority of Americans support the concept of a national health system, and Kaiser Family Foundation research shows that support increasingwhen pollsters ask voters specifically about Medicare for All.

As of a report put out yesterday by the Kaiser Family Project:

“There is robust support among Democrats, and even support among Republicans, for an expansion of the Medicare program through a Medicare buy-in or a Medicaid buy-in proposal (Figure 9). In addition, nearly half of Republicans and majorities of independents and Democrats favor an optional Medicare-for-all plan (Figure 10). Yet, it is unclear how much staying power this support has once people become aware of the details of any plan or hear arguments on either side. Current KFF polling finds that Americans know little about how the leading Medicare-for-all proposals would reshape the way all Americans get and pay for health care (Figure 11) and public support for Medicare-for-all shifts significantly when people hear arguments about potential tax increases or delays in medical tests and treatment (Figure 12). KFF polling also shows many people falsely assume they would be able to keep their current health insurance under a single-payer plan (Figure 13), suggesting another potential area for decreased support especially since most supporters (67 percent) of such a proposal think they would be able to keep their current health insurance coverage (Figure 14).

Medicare-for-all, an issue which really gained traction during Bernie Sanders’ run during the 2016 presidential primary, does seem to be on the minds of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents at the beginning of the 2020 primary season. But KFF polling finds more Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents would prefer voting for a candidate who wants to build  on the ACA in order to expand coverage and reduce costs rather than replace the ACA with a national Medicare-for-all plan (Figure 15). So while the general idea of a national health plan (whether accomplished through an expansion of Medicare or some other way) may enjoy fairly broad support in the abstract, it remains unclear how this issue will play out in the 2020 election and beyond.”

[ItWasntLaauv 6,392]

Thank you Bernie!! 

[Emvee 8,841]

The feasibility of a universal healthcare system is not even a question anymore. It’s more efficient and more humane. Across the board. Every other developed nation proved it decades ago. At this point, it’s about the political will to do it. Will American politicians do what’s right or will they continue to shill for the insurance companies? It is their job to make the better case to their constituents. Not the other way around. Sadly, it’s been the other way around for far too long. 

It’ll be a bittersweet moment when Medicare for all finally passes. Sweet that the middle and working class finally don’t have medical bankruptcy or certain death looming over them anymore. 

Bitter of the embarrassing fact that it took the United States of America literally decades to do this. 

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

Yes, they do.

While support wavers a bit when more nuance comes into the question, the reality is that Sander's Medicare 4 All is the best system overall. People dislike any notion of increased taxes, change in insurance, etc. It makes them uneasy. It's just an unfortunate part of human behavior and specifically people in the U.S. are very resistant to anything tax related, esPECIALLY older americans. I'd say its partly a remnant of republican talking points over the last few decades, but it really goes back to the start of our country.

The catch however is that everyone WILL be better off. People will not have to pay premiums, deductibles, co-payments, etc. and that will result in an overall saving of money for what I believe is the Majority of people, certainly the majority of working class people and families of decent sizes. On top of that, it expands the coverage of Medicare significantly, and the Quality of Care will increase.

Like Warren and Sanders (and previously Harris, lol) have said - people are not in LOVE with their private insurers or insurance companies. There is no personal relationship there. No one enjoys filling out paper work, being denied coverage, being told you will be covered and then sent a bill in the mail, etc. For life threatening illnesses like cancer or even less. No one likes being fired and not having health insurance, or having their health insurance traded out for cheaper health insurance to save money by greedy employers. THAT is a system that has to go. No matter how much you try to ration with keeping private insurance and adding a buy in option, it is still fundamental and inherent to the way that private insurance works. They exist to create a profit, not to guarantee quality care, and will ALWAYS put that above the needs of the people they insure. That is immoral, and there's no place for it. Improving things, trying to create more "ethical" private insurers won't solve this problem. Doing away with it is for better or worse the ONLY way to stop this. I understand the appeal of a public option for those who can't afford private, but no candidate supporting an alternative has reasoned with the facts I've just stated.

For candidates like Buttigieg, Harris, Castro, etc. I get their point. They know private insurance is not a just system, but they are worried that getting rid of it will be too big of a "shock" to the system, but this is a matter of framing. There will be no *shock* to the system in reality. Everyone will automatically be enrolled in Medicare. There's no crazy paperwork to fill out, tons of forms, websites, etc. There's no period where people will be uninsured in the meantime. It's a 4 year transition that is rather seamless. The ACTUAL changes people will notice will be how streamlined healthcare is, and how the quality of it has improved. Again, no one likes the bureacracy of getting health care, all personal relationships people have with the system come through their Providers, not their insurers. Bernie and somewhat Warren have the right idea. This system will be better for everyone, its very resolute and well written. So, letting Republican "but taxes! but change! but your insurers! but the cost!" talking points dominante the conversation instead of the positives is the wrong way to go. The progressive-lite to moderate candidates are so afraid of those points that they are conceding, when they should be standing firm. People are afraid of change, they are hearing (from right opposition and co-opted left opposition) "you'll lose your health care", and its only half true. It would be a damn shame if we never made any real progress as a country because people are just afraid of change  Luckily we have people who dream big running for president still. Support them however u can.

[Marilyn MonHoe 11,011]

34 minutes ago, ItsTommyBitch said:

Yes, they do.

While support wavers a bit when more nuance comes into the question, the reality is that Sander's Medicare 4 All is the best system overall. People dislike any notion of increased taxes, change in insurance, etc. It makes them uneasy. It's just an unfortunate part of human behavior and specifically people in the U.S. are very resistant to anything tax related, esPECIALLY older americans. I'd say its partly a remnant of republican talking points over the last few decades, but it really goes back to the start of our country.

The catch however is that everyone WILL be better off. People will not have to pay premiums, deductibles, co-payments, etc. and that will result in an overall saving of money for what I believe is the Majority of people, certainly the majority of working class people and families of decent sizes. On top of that, it expands the coverage of Medicare significantly, and the Quality of Care will increase.

Like Warren and Sanders (and previously Harris, lol) have said - people are not in LOVE with their private insurers or insurance companies. There is no personal relationship there. No one enjoys filling out paper work, being denied coverage, being told you will be covered and then sent a bill in the mail, etc. For life threatening illnesses like cancer or even less. No one likes being fired and not having health insurance, or having their health insurance traded out for cheaper health insurance to save money by greedy employers. THAT is a system that has to go. No matter how much you try to ration with keeping private insurance and adding a buy in option, it is still fundamental and inherent to the way that private insurance works. They exist to create a profit, not to guarantee quality care, and will ALWAYS put that above the needs of the people they insure. That is immoral, and there's no place for it. Improving things, trying to create more "ethical" private insurers won't solve this problem. Doing away with it is for better or worse the ONLY way to stop this. I understand the appeal of a public option for those who can't afford private, but no candidate supporting an alternative has reasoned with the facts I've just stated.

For candidates like Buttigieg, Harris, Castro, etc. I get their point. They know private insurance is not a just system, but they are worried that getting rid of it will be too big of a "shock" to the system, but this is a matter of framing. There will be no *shock* to the system in reality. Everyone will automatically be enrolled in Medicare. There's no crazy paperwork to fill out, tons of forms, websites, etc. There's no period where people will be uninsured in the meantime. It's a 4 year transition that is rather seamless. The ACTUAL changes people will notice will be how streamlined healthcare is, and how the quality of it has improved. Again, no one likes the bureacracy of getting health care, all personal relationships people have with the system come through their Providers, not their insurers. Bernie and somewhat Warren have the right idea. This system will be better for everyone, its very resolute and well written. So, letting Republican "but taxes! but change! but your insurers! but the cost!" talking points dominante the conversation instead of the positives is the wrong way to go. The progressive-lite to moderate candidates are so afraid of those points that they are conceding, when they should be standing firm. People are afraid of change, they are hearing (from right opposition and co-opted left opposition) "you'll lose your health care", and its only half true. It would be a damn shame if we never made any real progress as a country because people are just afraid of change  Luckily we have people who dream big running for president still. Support them however u can.

Yes to all of this! Polling for Medicare For All fluctuates with how the questions are framed. But if the questions are honest and not framed from Republican talking points (which dominate all of corporate media, especially Democratic ones) then it polls well! I’m very excited for the future