One-stop shopping
Dear editor:
People keep asking how we can afford Medicare for all? The better question is how can we afford to not switch to a single-payer system?
I prepare tax returns for people currently on Medicare and other private for-profit programs for those not old enough yet for Medicare. Even on Medicare, I see people paying extra for supplemental coverage, dental, long-term care and so forth amounting to $5-8,000 per year in health care premiums and that doesn't include long term care coverage.
Medicare for all would include dental, vision, long-term care, mental health coverage and negotiated drug prices and most likely eliminate the need for workman's comp or medical coverage in auto and home insurance policies, another savings most don't consider. We could replace the 16 different types of health coverage we currently have with one plan that works for all and no one would do without.
Our current "health" insurance (not health care) consists of 16 different insurance plans as follows that could be combined into one single-payer system that would save billions per year:
1. Private for-profit health insurance.
2. Private not for-profit health insurance.
3. Private Medicare Advantage plans.
4. Public Medicare.
5. Public Medicaid.
6. Public Medicaid expansion under ACA.
7. Private supplemental health insurance.
8. Private dental insurance.
9. Private vision insurance.
10. Private prescription drug insurance.
11. VA.
12. Tricare.
13. CHIP (Children's health insurance).
14. Workman's comp.
15. Medical liability coverage in your auto insurance.
16. Medical liability coverage in your home insurance.
Judith Zitko
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 12/09/2019