I admire (and hang my hopes) on Bernie Sanders because his priorities align with mine for the most part. The healthcare debacle will eventually lead to Medicare for all, imo. Trump actually has a few good points. Yes, I agree that the AFA needs to fail; BUT my ultimate goal differs (I think). Sometimes people need to suffer personally before they realize that survival is paramount. People are pretty selfish. If the middle class (the real middle class) recieves the same shitty medical care (or lack thereof) the poor, disabled, elderly (pre-Medicare -- 2 year wait after SS Retirement Benefits, most people don't know that) receive, they will beg for help. Untether health insurance from employers. Have the marketplace, and let it fail. The middle class feels superior and credit their hard work and strong American values to their benefits. "I earned my health care!"
Our current system pits so many groups (or those who identify w. said group) against each other that empathy isn't exactly easy...middle class people just think, "Thank God I'm not like that!"
We all deserve healthcare as a human right, in my opinion. Others disagree. But, if you believe as I do, then the only fair, guaranteed equalizer is throwing everyone in the same pot. Universal Health Care. Done.
Problems:
Many, many, many. Lower quality of care, lack of choice, waiting lists, stringent criteria to qualify for costly services (come back when you are near death), and yes, older people are encouraged to sign a DNR if they are on public insurance. I was my grandmother's POA, and her doctor once suggested I not treat her UTI. She had Alzheimer's, but she was only mild-moderate at that point, and she even went to the mall etc. Her age should be irrelevant. But, I certainly was pushed into throwing in the towel. Doctor: "Well, she's lived a full life..." Well, she deserves to live as long as she is enjoying life, even if it is expensive. Doubt Ronald Reagan's POA was asked questions like that.
So, I don't dig merit-based treatment, and if the government is paying, you can bet they wish to simply "palliatively" treat when they can...but discouraging antibiotic use to hasten death in an otherwise healthy 90-odd yr old mild-moderate Alzheimer's patient....uh, nope.
So, it's tough because any way you go, quality of life takes a backseat to $$$$. But, we're a capitalist society, so that's all cool, I guess. /sarcasm I wish medical care was held sacred, iow, almost as a religious right. Talk of money is considered crass in most churches. Most.
It's so fucking complicated. Doctors work their asses off in school, too....they deserve excellent compensation...ugh. I can't see how any situation is even close to ideal: However, the best possible solution seems fairly obvious to me.
I'm not sure how Sanders would implement Medicare for all. Take estate tax for example: If a massive estate tax hits a family of very modest means who inherited $100,000 from a deceased parent or grandparent, is it fair to steal a huge chunk of that? These hypothetical people aren't even well-off. They need all the money. That's enough for them to buy a home, etc. Their relatives intended for the money to go to their child or children to help them....clearly, this is different from an heir who earns $100,000 a year? Relative value should be taken into account. Otherwise, you're back to hurting lower income people, with good intentions this time around.