Take 1 percent of the taxes collected and hand that out to people in the form of vouchers that can be used on healthcare. There would be an expenditure cap within any 7-year span of time. People would also have the option of using their individual vouchers towards a government-run for-profit healthcare program. This program would have to be funded entirely by the money received from vouchers of people who decided to enroll in the system, or any additional money that individual was willing to pay out of pocket. This type of program would set a natural spending limit to control costs, while also being fair and giving people the freedom of choice.
How much is that 1%? I'm just guessing here, but about 3 and a half billion dollars? That's not much of a voucher for everyone in the country.
Who said my proposal was going to supply everyone with as much money as they want? I believe 1 or 2 percent of the total budget is a very decent amount. At the least, it will give people the most basic healthcare, or go to some level to help them buy healthcare. I believe this is a very reasonable plan, a starting off point, even if it doesn't solve all the problems. Maybe people can be a little more budget conscious and price shop to stretch the limited amount of purchasing power they would be given.
1% of Federal revenues of about $3.2 trillion would be about $32 billion. $32 billion divided 320 million Americans is about $100 per person. What kind of "reasonable" health care plan do you get for $100 per year? What is your plan for the tens of millions who can't afford health care? What is your plan when people hit the spending cap?
So how much of people's incomes, do you think, would have to be taxed to be able to provide an adequate level of healthcare to the population? Hmm, if 1% of the current federal budget would only provide $100 a year, it seems to me around 60% of the current budget would have to be consumed to pay for everyone's healthcare costs. That's not really realistic. That's over half the budget! It seems we have a big problem. Either we're going to have to find a source of a lot more money, or the government's not going to be able to pay for it all. Or maybe some genius can think up a way to lower healthcare costs. Maybe send people off on a plane flight to Mexico?
There are VERY few insurance providers and they know each others rates. ObamaCare had minimal requirements for policies - there are policies that are cheap, but are not worth their low cost as they cover almost nothing - you can only shop around so much. I feel the whole premise of health care for profit is the problem - profit will always come first from the insurance companies view. Medicare for all.
I believe the amount of people's income needed to pay for Medicare for all is about 27%. I reached this figure based upon the cost of Medicare for seniors and the percentage of total medical spending the 65+ population accounts for. Knowing how much they account for means I also can say how much of total medical spending the under 65 population accounts for. I wrote about it here ... It's the third post on the page. http://www.politicalforum.com/index...-healthcare-can-be-accomplished.500686/page-3 Before you all gasp at that figure and think I'm crazy, at least look at the figures I used and how I extrapolated that percentage from the figures. Seth
That's about right. With total health care costs running a little over $3 trillion, you'd need about that much to provide single payer universal health care, maybe a little less. That would eat up about 100% of the budget. Obviously you'll need to increase tax revenues to make up for it. But the savings would be in businesses and people not having to pay for private insurance. Unless they want to.
Total gross US personal income is about $16 trillion. Total gross health care costs is about $3 trillion. So we are talking about 20% of gross income.
Well, gee.... Maybe the "people" you reference better get to work, or find better jobs, earn their own money, and pay their own healthcare premiums...? Is that a "plan"...?
That sounds like a dubious claim to me. My guess is they know each other's rates in detail. Even the minimal ACA plan requires coverage for most all major medical needs and no life time cap. Where are you getting the notion that they cover almost nothing? I think you are thinking about the cheaper "pray you don't get sick" policies that were out there before the ACA dictated certain minimums.
Sounds like something someone who's never been poor a day in their life would say. Let them eat cake. So what is your plan for the tens of millions who are working at the best jobs they can, have no employer provided health care, and can't possibly pay for a decent policy for their family? Back to using emergency rooms for primary health care? Or just let them die in the streets?
Oh, I could probably break your heart telling you about the broken home I grew up in (at a time when that was a rarity in this country), and about how there was no (NO) government welfare program -- AT ALL. I could tell you that my Mother, my Sister, and I lived in a one-bedroom apartment located over a men's clothing store in a downtown area, where there was no (NO) hot water pipe in the kitchen, and where we had to share the ancient bathroom with a drunk who lived in another apartment down the hall. Crying yet? No...? Then, when my parents' divorce was final, he scooted off to an American ex-pat enclave in Mexico so that he wouldn't have to pay child support, and believe me... he didn't... not one penny. And no help from Uncle Sugar for us! Hell, we didn't even have "emergency rooms for primary health care". SHOCKING! Sometimes life is rough and tough, Iriemon! Accordingly, and speaking from REAL experience, I'd suggest that the "tens of millions" you mention get up off their asses and get a hell of a lot busier than they are if they don't have as much money as they need. To recall the famous utterance of the Rhett Butler character from "Gone With The Wind"... "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!" These "tens of millions" today have it a HELL of a lot better than my Mother and my Sister ever had it when the 'wolf' was at our door, and threatening to chew our asses to pieces.... . "Whut?! Don't you, like, 'CARE', and stuff...?!"
Then its weird that you'd have so callous disregard for those who are less fortunate. So what is your plan for the tens of millions who are working at the best jobs they can, have no employer provided health care, and can't possibly pay for a decent policy for their family? Back to using emergency rooms for primary health care? Or just let them die in the streets?
Stop paying for cable, data plans, movies, sporting events, brand clothing, $30+ k automobiles, vacations to Cancun, LeBron sneakers, booze, cigs, .......
You funny. Old man's an immigrant. Not a word of English at age 11. Not even an accent by age 26 when Iwas born. Never got a penny from the gov. Don't talk to me about poor. You should learn what work really is
For those who won't, or simply don't pay for their medical bills, prescriptions, etc., there's always Medicaid. One of your great Socialist demi-gods, Lyndon Johnson brought that thing to life way back when I was still in high school. It's still around today, providing free medical care for those who don't pay..... Truthfully, if all ex-prez 'Messiah' was trying to do was put another big socialistic 'sugar-teat' on the American Welfare Smorgasbord, the free-stuff was already there! He larded-up Medicaid and, of course, came up with a system of "subsidies" (just another word for welfare). We never needed his Obamacare fraud in the first place, but, our "first Black president" had to have some kind of "legacy" besides being Ben Bernanke's trained house pet.... .Too bad they don't make these in black.... . . "Yeah! Obviously the manufacturer is RACIST!"
Perhaps you should spend a few profitable minutes learning how Medicaid actually works. I know your high school education probably didn't cover that but it is never too late to learn something.