Something I'd like to hear from Hillary is support for single payer. What does she have to lose now?

[LiberalLovinLug]

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/229959-majority-still-support-single-payer-option-poll-finds

Majority still supports single-payer option, poll finds

More than five years after the single-payer system was scrapped from ObamaCare policy debates, just over 50 percent of people say they still support the idea, including one-quarter of Republicans, according to a new poll.
The single-payer option – also known as Medicare for all – would create a new, government-run insurance program to replace private coverage. The system, once backed by President Obama, became one of the biggest casualties of the divisive healthcare debates of 2009.
The idea remains extremely popular among Democrats, with nearly 80 percent in support, according to the poll, which was shared first with The Hill by the Progressive Change Institute.


http://www.gallup.com/poll/191504/majority-support-idea-fed-funded-healthcare-system.aspx

Majority in U.S. Support Idea of Fed-Funded Healthcare System

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Presented with three separate scenarios for the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 58% of U.S. adults favor the idea of replacing the law with a federally funded healthcare system that provides insurance for all Americans. At the same time, Americans are split on the idea of maintaining the ACA as it is, with 48% in favor and 49% opposed. The slight majority, 51%, favor repealing the act.









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I'm speaking as a Canadian that is tired of watching my North American sisters and bros down there not have the benefits of universal healthcare as a right. Here it is sometimes taken too much for granted. And yes, there are always improvements that can be made, but if you asked any Canadian on the street, they'd not give up their Medicare for an American style private run system. (Why doesn't the American news media ever come up here and actually ask us???). But when Trump shouted out about how the Canadian system is a disaster I was very much wanting Hillary to come back and double down with a proposal of promising to work towards a single payer system but stressing of course that it would have to be a careful drawn out process of transition so as not to impact private industry workers too harshly. What did she have to lose? At last in the history of the US, you have a majority in favour of some form of government overseen medical insurance system. 80% Ds and the Rs top it off with 25% of their own. Our system up here is not perfect, it needs constant funding, and improvements like any other public system that has to react to changing demographics. And changing governments as well, as we all just went through almost 10 years of conservative hell where they cleared the way for private clinics to piggy back onto the public system, and at the same time cut or did not increase to inflation, funding for Medicare.

But its the philosophy of a basic care guarantee that is what is important, not if a few richer Canadians are going to private clinics in the US or Europe or South America to jump the queue. Do we have to wait longer for various non-life threatening injury surgery than in the US? Well yes and no. Longer than someone down there who is lucky enough to have a great private employer insurance, and lives close to a modern good hospital in the US, but a much shorter wait than a good portion of Americans who may never get what they need, or else lose everything they own to get it. I agreed with Bernie Sanders in that why shouldn't the richest nation now on Earth be able to afford a single payer for all system like all the other western nations do? Its not even about the cost, even though in the long run, its the cheapest on every tax payer over all. (see the charts above)... A good conservative point to stress to the "undecided" Republican. But what is more important is the element of stress free living as far as medical bills. Not just for yourself, but in the greater community as well. It is a transformative event when heathcare becomes an actual right from birth til death for every citizen, no matter what their circumstance, disability, where they live, what doctor they choose, how expensive the cost in actual dollars the procedure is, like cancer treatment for instance. It is a new mindset and I pray you all will be able to adopt that soon.

So, if it would be a popular move, why is Hillary and the Democratic party leadership not grabbing this opportunity to pull the carpet out from under not just Trump, but Republicans down ticket as well? I really hope it is not undue pressure from the corporate insurance lobby, but Democrats, and Hillary need to counter the boldness and brashness of Trump, with their own boldness and brashness, especially when, as basic background checks for gun sales, the majority of Americans support the idea. Give the talking heads something to talk about Clinton's "shocking proposal" of actual universal healthcare, something productive, instead of her nervously just deflecting Bill's comments about the flaws of the ACA. Why not just go for it? Destroy the lie that is being pushed down there how us Canadians think our Medicare system is a "disaster". or that it is untenable. Its not. Quite the opposite.

Good luck to you. And we hope Trump is hosed like the hoser he is eh.

[BlueStreak]

1. Words are important. Ask Frank Luntz. She should support ...

"Medicare Buy-in option"

The GOP has managed to turn "single payer" into some horrible, scary thing.

However, let's be clear. Anybody would be insane to start a new policy imitative at this stage of the campaign. If that was to be part of her policy package, it should have been introduced a year ago. so this is probably a non-starter.


Once elected, she could start the whole process of "fixing what is not working with Obamacare" by focusing on the Medicare buy-in option. This is something almost nobody can find a good argument to oppose (other than the overpaid execs at the health insurance companies.) It is simply the idea of taking the most successful, most popular health solution found anywhere in this country (more popular than even the employer-provided plans), and gives people the OPTION to join Medicare earlier than age 65 if they pay premiums that match the actual cost for their age group.

Simple as that.

[LiberalLovinLug]

4. Thanks for the info

You're right in that its too late now to announce something like that as part of her platform. And I'm not as familiar with the American medical insurance system as I should be. It all seems so damn complicated down there.

I guess my one point was that she should pounce on issues like that that the public is on her side with. Like a public option at least. And shout it out. Be proud and confident of that position. It would be such a "whaaaaaaa?" moment for Trump and his campaign because they are operating in the bubble that Americans hate socialism...thus they hate any kind of public option even. And so the opportunity to once again paint them into a corner of an out of touch minority. Democrats, including Hillary herself, always seem to come across as almost whispering bringing up any move towards that. Almost wincing waiting for the blow before they finish speaking. When in actuality, the public is mostly on board with it.

And so when I see Trump for instance go off on our system in Canada as "a disaster" and its left to hang there, I get annoyed. It seems like Democratic politicians there don't have any comeback. How about:

http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/support-for-public-health-care-soars-94-of-canadians---including-conservatives---choose-public-over-for-profit-solutions-509156411.html

An overwhelming 94-percent of Canadians support public - not private, for-profit - solutions to making the country's healthcare system stronger - with an equal number of Conservatives flying the banner for public health care.

It irked me during the ACA debates that they never actually asked the Canadian public what they thought when they were eviserating the Canadian system on cable news. There are countries that probably do SP better than us. But its working, and it would work for you as well, no matter how you configure it or what you call it. Good luck.

[Hoyt]

2. She has said she supports a public option. Considering so many are stupid and oppose SP,

it's the best way forward. If as we believe the government plan is good, people will gravitate toward toward the public coverage voluntarily. Unless there is a big change in Congress, forced SP just won't fly eve if it is the best plan.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

3. The Public Option is probably the best way forward...

But the costs to the Fed. Govt providing this coverage are still going to go up until the system is dealt with comprehensively, which will make it a target like Obamacare is now. I'm not poo-pooing, but we should look at Germany and Suisse for guidance and not Canada or the UK.