Dear President Obama: A Modest Medicare Proposal

Dear President Obama,

I understand you're thinking of dumping your "public option" because of all the demagoguery by Sarah Palin and Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich and their crowd on right-wing radio and Fox. Fine. Good idea, in fact.

Instead, let's make it simple. Please let us buy into Medicare.

It would be so easy. You don't have to reinvent the wheel with this so-called "public option" that's a whole new program from the ground up. Medicare already exists. It works. Some people will like it, others won't - just like the Post Office versus FedEx analogy you're so comfortable with.

Just pass a simple bill - it could probably be just a few lines, like when Medicare was expanded to include disabled people - that says that any American citizen can buy into the program at a rate to be set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which reflects the actual cost for us to buy into it.

So it's revenue neutral!

To make it available to people of low income, raise the rates slightly for all currently non-eligible people (like me - under 65) to cover the cost of below-200%-of-poverty people. Revenue neutral again.

Most of us will do damn near anything to get out from under the thumbs of the multi-millionaire CEOs who are running our current insurance programs. Sign me up!

This lets you blow up all the rumors about death panels and grandma and everything else: everybody knows what Medicare is. Those who scorn it can go with Blue Cross. Those who like it can buy into it. Simplicity itself.

Of course, we'd like a few fixes, like letting Medicare negotiate drug prices and filling some of the holes Republicans and AARP and the big insurance lobbyists have drilled into Medicare so people have to buy "supplemental" insurance, but that can wait for the second round. Let's get this done first.

Simple stuff. Medicare for anybody who wants it. Private health insurance for those who don't. Easy message. Even Max Baucus and Chuck Grassley can understand it. Sarah Palin can buy into it, or ignore it. No death panels, no granny plugs, nothing. Just a few sentences.

Replace the "you must be disabled or 65" with "here's what it'll cost if you want to buy in, and here's the sliding scale of subsidies we'll give you if you're poor, paid for by everybody else who's buying in." (You could roll back the Reagan tax cuts and make it all free, but that's another rant.)

We elected you because we expected you to have the courage of your convictions. Here's how. Not the "single payer Medicare for all" that many of us would prefer, but a simple, "Medicare for anybody who wants to buy in."

Respectfully,

Thom Hartmann

Thom Hartmann is a Project Censored Award-winning New York Times best-selling author, and host of a nationally syndicated daily progressive talk program The Thom Hartmann Show. His newest book is "Threshold: The Crisis of Western Culture."

Guaranteed it would be cheaper than my $1000 a month individual policy.

Anyone? Anyone?

;)

the Medicare age lowered too. Even with a sliding scale buy in it would still
be a huge improvement for many near seniors. I'm about to turn 60 and when my current COBRA
policy expires I will become un-insurable due to several pre existing conditions.

...perfect! :applause: KNR

The infrastructure is already there.

Having said that doesn't take the sting out of watching both parties scramble behind the loons, which are just a handy excuse to give in to those that abide by a creed of greed.

Progressives have the power to push, or HRC would be in office now. We could push again to steer this conversation in a less compromising direction and get back on the road of real reform.

As always Mr. Hartmann, love to read or hear your thoughts when the opportunity prevents itself, thanx.

Also, here is the link the letter at Common Dreams if you want to share it:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/08/17

Not enough people recognize great ideas apparently.

If they are worried about crashing the system because so many people want Medicare, then start with adding those who are uninsured. Then add in more people by age group by first adding anyone over 60. A few months later, add those who are over 50, and so on, until everyone is covered.

People who lose their jobs would be automatically covered by Medicare.

If people don't want Medicare, then don't sign up.

What is so hard about this?

Thanks for writing the letter

I'm 56, and sick of being sick.

it is unacceptable
thom hartmann must be stupid to think it could be acceptable
we are going to ride this capitalist ideal til it kills you
and your pitiable complaints die with you
these are the blessings of liberty

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6313387&mesg_id=6313387

:toast: to you! I think it would be much easier to frame the debate as well if we go this route. I wonder if it's a possibility?