More On Medicare For All
By Michael D. Shaw
This column first covered the matter of Medicare For All a couple of months ago. In that piece, Senate bill S.1804, the most publicized of the proposals, was outlined. Highlights are that every resident of the US would be covered, and except for a small reimbursement for prescription drugs, there are no co-pays. Private insurance would essentially be eliminated, and the gigantic healthcare apparatus of the entire country would be under control of the federal government . . .
In a recent interview, Sally Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, related the tragic story of her mother under the Canadian system, who presumably because of her age was denied a quick colonoscopy, and months later was admitted to the hospital with severe symptoms. Upon admission, she did get that colonoscopy, which confirmed that she was in the final stages of colon cancer.
Pipes advised me that the current average waiting time for a specialist in Canada is now 19.8 weeks. And, 63,000 Canadians cross the border each year to pay out of pocket for more immediate American healthcare. Moreover, the average Canadian family pays a “hidden” tax of $13,000/year for their coverage. As to Medicare For All, Pipes notes that 71% (Kaiser poll) of those surveyed support it, under the rubric of “healthcare as a right.” But 55% of those polled thought that they would be able to keep their private insurance. When you tell them that there would be no private insurance, and that their taxes would likely increase, that figure drops to 37%.
