Single payer health care in the US would have an astonishingly high price tag

[Peter1469]

Single payer health care in the US would have an astonishingly high price tag

I was surprised that the editorial board of WaPo took this position. Well worth the read. A big part of the problem is the level of quality that Americans demand, even when they are not paying.

From an earlier thread to keep in mind. A healthcare system can do only two of these three things:

1. Universality
2. Cost
3. Quality

The single-payer model has some strong advantages. It is much simpler for most people — no more insurance forms or related hassles. Employers would no longer be mixed up in providing health-care benefits, and taxpayers would no longer subsidize that form of private compensation. Government experts could conduct research on treatments and use that information to directly cut costs across the system.

But the government’s price tag would be astonishing. When Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed a “Medicare for all” health plan in his presidential campaign, the nonpartisan Urban Institute figured that it would raise government spending by $32 trillion over 10 years, requiring a tax increase so huge that even the democratic socialist Mr. Sanders did not propose anything close to it.

Read the entire article at the link.

[texan]

Absolutely.

But HC is a constitutional right you know! Oh wait no it isn't.

[Common]

Ive always said Id like for every american to have health care, ive also said single payer could never be done here for a variety of reasons

The biggest problem with healthcare is that too many dont pay for it. That includes MILLIONS of illegal immigrants.

[William]

I think this is all confirmation bias theory by people who do not like the idea of government being involved in health care.

Australia is ranked higher for medical care than the USA (but not as high as the UK,) and it has had a UHC system since before my mum was born (but again - not as long as the UK).

The only involvement the government has is paying the bills. You go to the doctor of your choice, and he decides upon your medical treatment, or to which specialist or hospital to send you. If you don't like his choices, you are free to go to another doctor, and they are all private practitioners. I know a little about this cos my mum is a specialist.

And AFIK, the rate of income tax is pretty much the same in Australia as in the USA, except at the very high income rates - where Australia is roughly 5% more than the USA. For that, we get free at the point of delivery health care for life, government funded old age, and widow's pensions, and loads of other social services. But we do have GST (VAT) on most goods other than foodstuffs, but no sales tax. According to the IHDI, our standard of living is ranked 2nd after Norway, so I think Aussies are getting the better deal.

[Peter1469]

The editors of the Washington Post are die-hard democrats. They have always been for single payer in the past. Confirmation bias for them would have been to overlook the costs.

I think this is all confirmation bias theory by people who do not like the idea of government being involved in health care.

Australia is ranked higher for medical care than the USA (but not as high as the UK,) and it has had a UHC system since before my mum was born (but again - not as long as the UK).

The only involvement the government has is paying the bills. You go to the doctor of your choice, and he decides upon your medical treatment, or to which specialist or hospital to send you. If you don't like his choices, you are free to go to another doctor, and they are all private practitioners. I know a little about this cos my mum is a specialist.

And AFIK, the rate of income tax is pretty much the same in Australia as in the USA, except at the very high income rates - where Australia is roughly 5% more than the USA. For that, we get free at the point of delivery health care for life, government funded old age, and widow's pensions, and loads of other social services. But we do have GST (VAT) on most goods other than foodstuffs, but no sales tax. According to the IHDI, our standard of living is ranked 2nd after Norway, so I think Aussies are getting the better deal.

The problem in America is the quality factor (see post 1). Additionally, a large part of the increased costs in the US is spend on elder care. Other nations don't put so many resources into people who are dying anyhow.

[Common]

I think this is all confirmation bias theory by people who do not like the idea of government being involved in health care.

Australia is ranked higher for medical care than the USA (but not as high as the UK,) and it has had a UHC system since before my mum was born (but again - not as long as the UK).

The only involvement the government has is paying the bills. You go to the doctor of your choice, and he decides upon your medical treatment, or to which specialist or hospital to send you. If you don't like his choices, you are free to go to another doctor, and they are all private practitioners. I know a little about this cos my mum is a specialist.

And AFIK, the rate of income tax is pretty much the same in Australia as in the USA, except at the very high income rates - where Australia is roughly 5% more than the USA. For that, we get free at the point of delivery health care for life, government funded old age, and widow's pensions, and loads of other social services. But we do have GST (VAT) on most goods other than foodstuffs, but no sales tax. According to the IHDI, our standard of living is ranked 2nd after Norway, so I think Aussies are getting the better deal.

William this is not australia and we do not have single payer we have an entirely different system that has been in place forever.

To change that puts way to many americans out of work and out of business. This country will never get a consensus to put insurance companies out of business, private owned testing facilities and all the hospitals here are private owned.

With all the people that dont pay for healthcare and dont pay taxs PLUS the democrats quest to bring as m any illegal immigrants here as they can would break taxpayers backs.

Every proponent of single payer wants to use Europe as an example or another country. This isnt other countries and our system just cant be stopped instantly and changed. That is wishful thinking

Look obamacare is DIEING why? because theres too many not paying for it and it made the cost for those that do pay unaffordable and it lowered the quality of healthcare for everyone and changed the benefits of private health plans for many.

Willam our country cant even run Single Payer health care for our Veterans. The VA is a disaster with lousy healthcare and faciliites that are a mess. My govt has promised me since the late 60s they were going to fix it and THEY HAVENT FIXED A DAMN THING... and you expect me to believe our govt can run single payer for everyone. Not a chance its a liberal progressive pipe dream.

Fix the VA first, fix it right and show us you can keep it fixed for 5-10 yrs then come back and talk to me about singlepayer

[Peter1469]

Good point about the VA.

[Green Arrow]

It would be doable if we broke it up state-by-state. Large states like California would have to further decentralize by county, but smaller states like Wyoming could easily manage it at the state level.

[Peter1469]

It would be doable if we broke it up state-by-state. Large states like California would have to further decentralize by county, but smaller states like Wyoming could easily manage it at the state level.

What about states that are already close to bankruptcy, like Illinois?

[Common Sense]

Amazing. Countries like Canada and Germany are perfectly able to do it, but it's too hard for the US? Give me a break.