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Dem voters are split on the healthcare issue between Medicare 4 All and building on Onamacare. Currently, building on Obamacare is leading as the preferred course voters want to take.

I'd like to see some discussion on which option you prefer and why.

Both options are an improvement over the current system but the problem I have with expanding Obamacare is that it keeps private insurance in the equation. So long as private insurance is part of our healthcare, we will be overpaying for it over the course of the year compared to M4A which reduces our out of pocket costs to a yearly tax -- no premiums, no deductibles, no co-pays and also no network restrictions all while delivering the same service.

So I'm down with M4A as the option I'd prefer to have. Bundle my healthcare into my taxes along with the Fire Dept. Police Dept, and roads. I hate having my healthcare bound to my job and I hate all the extra money I'm paying beyond my monthly premium.

What's your preference and why?

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Sgt_Spanky 8 July 31
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7 comments

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1

Obamacare just makes the insurance companies richer without doing anything to address the astronomically high cost of healthcare.

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That last paragraph answers everything.

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Best option

bobwjr Level 10 July 31, 2019
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Think about how many people and industries are tied to the insurance business...everyone from the brokers, the underwriters, the agents, doctors, hospitals, medical billing specialists and companies, restaurants that feed them, stores that clothe them, housing, gas stations...it is a HUGE complex industry that would impact every single city in our country if they were to suddenly "disappear".

I am not saying that they shouldn't disappear...perhaps they can revert back to being non-profit...offer more competitive pricing, etc. I am just saying that sudden change would cripple our economy...the stocks alone and the fact that many own multiple other things like buildings (The Prudential Building, Principal Life, Ameritas, etc.)...

I think it has to do with economics...how do you lay off thousands in the industry all at once? What happens to the stock? There are hundreds of other questions that people in think tank groups have had to deal with regarding health insurance and how to make it better and available...

I have yet to see one comprehensive plan from any of the candidates that addresses not only the realistic financing of medicare for all but also the fall out from destroying the private insurance web...

Yes, it would be great to have M4A in theory...I want everyone to get healthy and get care...not to have to choose food over medicine...many are willing to pay for it in taxes, but what about paying for everyone who have no income or do not pay taxes? Will you pay for them as well? Should a single person pay for a family with 8 kids? Should people who make a lot of money pay the same as everyone else or will it be proportional? Can I pay more and get better health care than you?

It is pretty complex and having worked on an Obamacare board for 5 years, not a single person in the group had all of the answers and everyone has someone to protect. The questions stalled out everyone as there are so many ways to go on this.

I have private insurance and it costs a lot of money. Our company pays for it as part of our benefits package to recruit the best people. I know it is not common, but I have always worked for companies that paid for me and my family. Why would I want to give it up? I would if it meant more people could be helped with a better plan...just show me what that is and I will glady relinquish this benefit.

"Who knew healthcare was so complicated?" our moron president once said. We know it's complicated. I would liken it to an octooid with a thousand arms radiating out from a central mass. Any significant change to the central mass will affect everything attached to it.

But, in this case, the central mass is cancerous and that has to be addressed. The facr that these changes will impact not only the industry at its core but many of the businesses that have attached themselves to it is to be expected. When electricity became the new power standard throughout the land, it decimated the kerosene industry that had been the prior standard, when automobiles became the new standard for transportation, it decimated the horse drawn transportation industry. We're trying to replace the fossil fuel industry with renewable energy and eliminate fossil fuels. Should we not pursue this despite the damage it does because the fossil fuel industry is so entrenched in our economy?

There will always be people and industries impacted by comprehensive change. It's just how change works but when we've identified a serious problem and there are solutions to address it, should those solutions and their benefits be ignored because of the upheaval that might be involved?

I'm glad that you're happy with your healtchcare but there are so many more people who are not and so many that don't have healthcare at all. This system is broken and comprehensive change is needed and that's the bottom line.

@Sgt_Spanky I agree...but I doubt that change that drastic will happen this round...our government is slow and there is still a large population that is adverse to sudden change...your analogy of cutting out the cancer is so spot on, but, even your examples were not sudden changes...cars were not widely used the minute they showed up...they were costly, unreliable, noisy, etc....the modern car came out in 1886 and was not widely used until 1908 or so...it took nearly 50 years for electricity to be common from the time it was "discovered"...

Of course, health care is more critical because people die of lack of care...the system is broken...Obama care started the comprehensive change but was not allowed to evolve...so much was in the works to fix it each year...it never got that chance, although, it is still around and some changes were made...I think eventually, it would have evolved to M4A...it was working....

I don't know what the solution is...scrapping it all won't happen...

@thinktwice No, change won't come quickly but it has to be started for it to come at all and the sooner, the better. Expanding Obamacare will come faster than M4A but is less appealing -- at least to me -- than M4A. Still, if thats what we can get I'd take it and call it a win or at least a solid move in the right direction on several levels.It was conceived to be a more comrehensive solution than what we got but the effing Rs kept hobbling it with changes and Obama was far too conciliatory with them.

Regardless, it was a welcome and needed first step. Now we need to take more and bigger steps.

@Sgt_Spanky I think enough people of all parties know this is a crisis...the party that can deliver healthcare to the most people will be the champion...it is a national crisis, not a party one...so far, trump has deflected away from his promise to get everyone a good plan with all of his other shit...people need to remember this more than they need to remember that he also did not deliver a wall or tax relief for regular people...this is one broken promise that needs to stay in the forefront...

@thinktwice From your lips to God's ears.

@Sgt_Spanky uh oh...I am an atheist... 🙂

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Your last paragraph says it all. As far as I am concerned.

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The argument being made that people who want to keep their private insurance should be free to do so makes no sense to me. Theoretically, sure, but why would anyone prefer to keep a service that gouges them for as much money as possible while delivering as little as they have to in return?

Who are these people who think this is a good deal?

people react to the thought of someone taking something from them, its all lizard brain stuff. even if that thing is a bad thing.

When it is part of your overall compensation package...that is one reason for wanting to keep private insurance.

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insurance companies serve no purpose than to drain money from the system. cut them out.
if you want a higher tier insurance on top of Medicare, sure go ahead, but most people don't want/need/afford it.

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