Friday, 29 Mar 2024

Opinion | The Debate Over ‘Medicare for All’

To the Editor:

Re “Biden and Sanders Feud Over Health Care Policy, Escalating Their Attacks” (news article, July 19):

With most Democratic candidates raising their hands to eliminate private insurance, and with the majority of Americans, even Democrats, fearful of such radical change, I propose “Medicare for all” with an opt-out that allows people to keep their private insurance. It could be simple and fair.

Those who opt out could deduct their premiums and out-of-pocket medical costs from their taxes up to a limit equivalent to the average cost of Medicare per person as estimated yearly by the Congressional Budget Office. The increased taxes to pay for insuring everyone would be mitigated for the new Medicare recipients by not having to pay for medical care and for the opt-outs via the tax deduction. And private insurers would have to compete against Medicare for customers, thus driving costs down.

Steven West
Hull, Mass.

To the Editor:

The news regarding the Democratic candidates’ debate over “Medicare for all” doesn’t mention Medicare’s current inadequate remuneration of health care providers.

As a clinical social worker, I accept Medicare in my private psychotherapy practice, and I can assure you that it is a small sum, much less than half my normal fee. How will health care providers, practitioners, hospitals and other health facilities be able to survive if Medicare is their sole payer? Will Medicare raise its payments to match those of private insurers and/or private payers? At what cost to the American public?

If Medicare does not increase its payments, how many Americans will enter the health care field knowing that their incomes will barely match the educational loans necessary to earn their degrees?

Susan H. Berg
Port Jefferson, N.Y.

To the Editor:

All the industrialized countries with longer life expectancy than the United States have one thing in common: universal health care. It seems to work.

I was in Greece and needed to consult a doctor. After the examination, I told him that, since I was only in Greece for a couple of months, I would pay cash. He told me that he wanted me to sign up for the national health plan in case he needed to do tests. I asked him, “Won’t that be a lot of paperwork?” He replied with the classic doctor line, “Stop at the desk on your way out.”

So I stopped at the desk and told them I needed to sign up for the national health plan. I was handed a card on which I entered my name, date of birth, local address and phone number. And that was it. I have to do more paperwork here in the U.S.A. when my doctor sends me across the hall for tests.

Sam Abrams
Newark, N.Y.

Source: Read Full Article

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