Group floats 'Medicare by Choice' as a Democratic health care alternative

[RandySF]

A coalition of former congressional staffers and federal health leaders is putting forward a health care policy proposal around which it hopes Democrats will coalesce ahead of the 2028 campaign, a position it is calling “Medicare by Choice.”

“Medicare for All,” the proposed single-payer national health care system that would replace private health insurance, proved to be a politically testy item during the 2024 election. Former Vice President Kamala Harris left it off her agenda when she became the Democratic nominee for president, despite having previously pushed for such a system.

So a group of policy experts encompassing the Center for Health and Democracy (CHD), American Economic Liberties Project and a former head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is putting forth its policy proposal for Democrats, Medicare by Choice.

This proposal allows everyone the option of enrolling in traditional Medicare regardless of age, even allowing employers to select Medicare by Choice as their employees’ workplace benefit.



https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5800964-medicare-by-choice-health-care-policy-democrats/

[Walleye]

1. Sounds like a good idea to me. Have to see the details.

[bamagal62]

2. I think it's a great idea!

Republicans will find a way to spin it.

[NameAlreadyTaken]

3. Isn't that the "public option"

which was once on the table? And if I recall correctly, Joe Lieberman killed?

[Wonder Why]

4. Many year ago, I thought that, for those poor with no health insurance and who couldn't qualify for

Medicaid, should be able to get a special Medicare card that allowed them to pay Medicare prices for health care. They would have to pay the bill but instead of the $10K overpriced hospital bill they couldn't pay, they would be billed the $900 that Medicare would have. Not a final solution, but it would avoid a lot of bankruptcies, allowed hospitals to get something more than lemon from a stone, and keep a lot of people from being in debt forever.

I recently, as a bicyclist, was hit by an SUV. The initial hospital bill for 3 hours in the ER was $17K. Had I no Medicare and little money, even if I were to eventually recover that from the other guy, I would be dunned for months or longer until the other Insurance paid off and would have lost any credit rating, have the additional burden of being a debtor, possibly losing my home, and worse. With Medicare, it pays a reduced price and has first dibs on the settlement to be reimbursed. It was bad enough to be victimized by an idiot driver. It would be worse to be victimized by everyone afterwards to add insult to (painful) injury.

[Jacson6]

6. If you get injured in a auto accident here in CA you get ripped off.

California attorneys demand a 45% commission, plus legal costs such as paralegals and court filing fees. Then you have to pay for experts at ~$50k per review. People have won their case then been left a debt to the law firm and then still owe the hospital bill.

[Jacson6]

5. It should be called the "Medicare Voluntary Option".

That way right wingers won't scream socialism. I'm curious as to how it would be paid for.

[Ms. Toad]

7. State laws would need to be changed

To permit those under 65 to choose to enroll in a Medigap plan. Currently many states prohibit it - forcing younger Medicare recipients onto Medicare Advantage plans.

[area51]

8. Interesting,

but we need enhanced Medicare, which would cover drugs, teeth, eyes, & hearing, for starters. Also, it would need to be at $0 cost, paid for out of general taxation.

[gulliver]

9. As long as they leave Medicare for retirees untouched

I'm for a public option, but I don't like parts of the article where they talk about "simplifying" existing Medicare A, B, and D and driving retirees away from advantage plans. I'm not sure why introducing a public option needs to do anything at all to existing coverage.

At this point, I'm very wary in this world of people offering "improvements" to things. They never seem to improve. They just change for the worse.

[leftstreet]

10. Sounds like Third Way think tank is against it

“While Medicare by Choice is better than Medicare for All because it doesn’t force everyone in the nation into a new health plan, it’s still not an ideal solution,” Lily Cohen, press adviser for the centrist policy Third Way, told The Hill in a statement.

“Medicare by Choice doesn’t provide direct relief for the millions of Americans who like their coverage but hate the high costs. Bringing down costs for everyone with private coverage should be the top priority.”

For what it's worth

[Nanjeanne]

11. Then even more reason to think it's a good option. I prefer Med4All but this is better than

subsidizing private insurers simply to make health insurance premiums somewhat affordable.