Biden releases plans to expand Medicare, forgive some student debt

[Morphine Prince 109,653]

Former Vice President Joe Biden released plans to expand Medicare eligibility and forgive some student debt as he works to unite a fractured Democratic base behind his presumptive 2020 presidential nomination.

Biden announced Thursday he would lower the Medicare eligibility age to 60 and forgive federal student debt for low-income and middle-class people who attended public colleges and universities, historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), and underfunded minority-serving institution (MSI).

The proposals mark an initial olive branch to supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), some of whom have expressed skepticism at Biden’s centrist brand of politics and were dismayed when the Vermont progressive withdrew from the race Wednesday. Biden specifically referenced Sanders’s advocacy for the two issues in a Medium post announcing his plans.

“I believe that as we are being plunged into what is likely to be one of the most volatile and difficult economic times in this country’s recent history, we can take these critical steps to help make it easier for working people to make ends meet,” Biden wrote. “Senator Sanders and his supporters can take pride in their work in laying the groundwork for these ideas, and I’m proud to adopt them as part of my campaign at this critical moment in responding to the coronavirus crisis.” 

Under Biden’s plan, Americans would have the option of opting into Medicare when they are 60 or stick with the plans provided by their employers. The proposal is intended to complement Biden’s overall health care plan to provide a public option to any American who wants it while expanding the Affordable Care Act.

Biden’s student debt plan calls for forgiving all federal undergraduate student loans from two- and four-year public colleges and universities and any private HBCUs or MSIs for debt-holders earning up to $125,000. The plan builds on Biden’s existing student loan plan to cancel $10,000 of student debt per person, forgive federal student loans after 20 years and more. 

A Biden administration would pay for the student debt plan by repealing the “excess business losses” tax cut in the recently passed $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package.

The former vice president said in a statement he will be releasing further details for his proposals “in the future.”

Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/492063-biden-releases-plans-to-expand-medicare-forgive-student-debt

 

[Maleficent 6]

I'm not educated on the Medicare, so can someone (kindly) explain to me why lowering the Medicare minimum age is a good thing? Shouldn't it be raised in accordance to the retirement age moving up and the average life expectancy also rising? 

[Emvee 8,825]

1 minute ago, Maleficent said:

I'm not educated on the Medicare, so can someone (kindly) explain to me why lowering the Medicare minimum age is a good thing? Shouldn't it be raised in accordance to the retirement age moving up and the average life expectancy also rising? 

Healthcare is not inherently tied to retirement or life expectancy. It is a right. Canadians live that reality every day and Americans deserve that reality as well. 

[xoxo Craig 55,649]

Health care should be free and accessible for all and so should education 

[Leoj305 3,774]

3 minutes ago, Maleficent said:

I'm not educated on the Medicare, so can someone (kindly) explain to me why lowering the Medicare minimum age is a good thing? Shouldn't it be raised in accordance to the retirement age moving up and the average life expectancy also rising? 

That means more people get free healthcare. It’s a step towards the Bernie policies. He’s adjusting slightly to get the Bernie people to vote for him. 

[derpmonster 22,412]

3 minutes ago, Maleficent said:

I'm not educated on the Medicare, so can someone (kindly) explain to me why lowering the Medicare minimum age is a good thing? Shouldn't it be raised in accordance to the retirement age moving up and the average life expectancy also rising? 

The point is to give more people access to healthcare.

This does seem like an odd move. A better move would be to ease the eligibility for Medicaid which is for low income people. In a system without single payer, do older people really need government provided health insurance regardless of income status?

[Maleficent 6]

Just now, derpmonster said:

The point is to give more people access to healthcare.

This does seem like an odd move. A better move would be to ease the eligibility for Medicaid which is for low income people. In a system without single payer, do older people really need government provided health insurance regardless of income status?

this is what I also thought. While lowering Medicare age will allow more people to access healthcare (as @Postboy and @Leoj305 pointed out), wouldn't it place more of a burden on taxpayers who are currently funding Medicare? Or would there be a shift in how Medicare is funded to counterbalance that? 

[Morphine Prince 109,653]

1 minute ago, Leoj305 said:

That means more people get free healthcare. It’s a step towards the Bernie policies. He’s adjusting slightly to get the Bernie people to vote for him. 

Medicare isn't exactly free, it covers 80% of costs. 

Also, dental and eye treatments aren't covered. 

[Emvee 8,825]

This “olive branch” misses the point of Medicare for all. Universal coverage only works efficiently when we all pay into it and all benefit from the service. Without eliminating insurance premiums for all, we cannot raise taxes to fund the program and make sure quality doesn’t suffer. 
 

 

[derpmonster 22,412]

Yeah this makes no sense. If we're gonna do a slow phased increase in coverage, we need to expand Medicaid until it covers everybody, not Medicare.

[Morphine Prince 109,653]

1 minute ago, derpmonster said:

Yeah this makes no sense. If we're gonna do a slow phased increase in coverage, we need to expand Medicaid until it covers everybody, not Medicare.

The youngest boomers are currently 56 so this could win Biden over some independent/left leaning boomer votes. 

[RRR 3,996]

And here I was thinking I did the smart thing by already paying off my college student loan debt.

[StarstruckIllusion 53,563]

Yay 

Lip service 

Secure a Bernie-endorsing politician as VP and then maybe you’ll win over his base. 

[Economy 52,842]

26 minutes ago, Postboy said:

Healthcare is not inherently tied to retirement or life expectancy. It is a right. Canadians live that reality every day and Americans deserve that reality as well. 

Canada is a terrible example of Universal Healthcare tho there's so many segments that are privatized and if u do not have insurance either pay out of your own pocket or ur not getting the service 

 

Much of Europe is probably a much better example tbh

[Economy 52,842]

34 minutes ago, Maleficent said:

I'm not educated on the Medicare, so can someone (kindly) explain to me why lowering the Medicare minimum age is a good thing? Shouldn't it be raised in accordance to the retirement age moving up and the average life expectancy also rising? 

Costly or not healthcare should be a human right so I support this step in the right direction in fact it should cover everyone ideally not just those over 60

 

However I agree with u about life expectancy and ageing population being a reality we gotta deal with and I think whether ppl like it or not, retirement age needs to go up in Countries that haven't already done it like mine. I know the US already did it

 

But more health care coverage in the US could literally be payed for with a few cuts to bloated military without anyone's taxes going up or raising the deficit

 

Make taxes a little more fair on the very rich (like Capital Gains taxes which are lower than income taxes and makes taxes regressive with Billionaires) could pay for some of post secondary education costs

 

A lot can be made easier for ppl without significant tax cuts or raised deficits to make people's lives better

 

But yeah, retirement can't stay at 65 I agree, that standard doesn't adjust for changed reality