Universal healthcare is so complex that only 31 of the 32 richest, most advanced countries in the world have managed to accomplish it.
Replies
Universal healthcare, yes. Hybrid systems are especially successful. M4All, nope. And the purity from some factions is going to stymie the process even when Dems win back Congress and the WH.
aug 31, 2025, 6:43 pm • 7 0 • view
Why no on Medicare for all?
aug 31, 2025, 6:52 pm • 9 0 • view
After fighting for universal for more than three decades, I am not convinced M4All is best. Even Canada still relies almost 30% on private options, and Bernie’s plan, as an example, outlaws duplicate coverage. M4All has never had the overwhelming support needed once people are given the specifics.
aug 31, 2025, 7:10 pm • 4 0 • view
They only rely on that (and here in Western Europe) because they have deliberately built that model into fiscal policy. Not because it isn't achievable. Once you give the majority the option the private options atrophies considerably. See UK until the neoliberal turn.
aug 31, 2025, 7:27 pm • 11 0 • view
You’re dismissing most successful healthcare systems for one never proven to work which still has longer ramp up times, a not established funding mechanism and myriad other issues without even addressing my key issue. I find that not in good faith and why it continues to be stymied. Best of luck.🍸
aug 31, 2025, 7:34 pm • 1 0 • view
Don't 'best of luck' me like you're an expert when you clearly aren't. All systems in a currency-issuing government system have a guaranteed 'funding' mechanism. That isn't their problem, but resourcing it. Because resources are taken by private use. You'll need to learn more to succeed with this.
aug 31, 2025, 7:38 pm • 1 0 • view
I understand your frustration. I can't believe we haven't even implemented it for California. However, I don't believe a hybrid system will work in the US. Yes we are exceptional. Exceptionally greedy. How many times have I walked into an office to a sign "No Medicare". Because of insurance
aug 31, 2025, 8:02 pm • 1 0 • view
From what I understand, CA can’t implement anything similar right away because of the way the California Constitution is written with budget issues between education and healthcare outlays. Hybrid can include severe restrictions on private costs which allows coverage but with competitive limits.
aug 31, 2025, 8:16 pm • 0 0 • view
Which is why it should be a federal policy. States are currency-constrained as a matter of policy.
aug 31, 2025, 8:18 pm • 0 0 • view
What's the point? Why buy insurance if it doesn't get you in first? California can't get Universal Healthcare because the politicians keep voting it down and the governor has said he won't sign it. Workable bills have been written.
aug 31, 2025, 8:21 pm • 0 0 • view
I truly don’t understand your question. Can you point me to a country using what you think is most like M4All?
aug 31, 2025, 8:25 pm • 1 0 • view
you said that a hybrid system is necessary. If it is controlled to the point of non-competing, what is the use of buying insurance? If it competes, then it puts wealthy people above and before those who can't afford insurance. With American greed it puts them on the street.
aug 31, 2025, 10:39 pm • 1 0 • view
There are no successful health care systems in the US. Oh wait, did you mean for the stockholders? Because people are dying out here with the “successful health care systems”
aug 31, 2025, 7:49 pm • 8 0 • view
What on earth are you talking about? I was referring to the most successful systems around the world. None of which use M4All, many of which use a hybrid system. Get as snotty as you like, but at least try to follow along. Thanks.
aug 31, 2025, 7:53 pm • 1 0 • view
Spain's is also a total access system. So is Portugal's.
aug 31, 2025, 7:57 pm • 2 0 • view
I should point out that once access is increased, resourcing matters. When access is low it appears that there are short wait times, buut it's only because many people are priced out. Once they're in things change. At that point a govt also has to work on policy to improve public health.
aug 31, 2025, 8:14 pm • 1 0 • view
Well the NHS is entirely that model and only neoliberal policy has affected it. Prior to that it was the most money for value system with 100% access. The 100% access remains, but they have eroded the resourcing.
aug 31, 2025, 7:57 pm • 0 0 • view
Exactly. Neoliberalism & conservatism, as ever, have been allowed to whittle away the budgets to the point where dissatisfaction can be exploited. Closing hospitals due to a lack of profitability, running on bare minimum staff, insufficient investment in diagnostic equipment, etc.
aug 31, 2025, 9:34 pm • 1 0 • view
Which other countries have Medicare? We can make all the arguments to voters to try convince them, but the health and pharmaceutical industries will fight every one. Many voters already are afraid of change. I’ve experienced universal healthcare. It’s terrific!
aug 31, 2025, 8:59 pm • 0 0 • view
I agree. And I have been fighting for universal for decades. But, too many people seem unaware that m4All is *one* option under a larger umbrella. Personally, I thought some of the early CAP plans & DeLauro’s & Schakowsky’s Medicare for America were easier sells. But, discussions should be had.🍸
aug 31, 2025, 9:10 pm • 1 0 • view
M4All expands the current 80/20 split to 100 including dental, vision, and hearing, and from birth to death. It's about having a single-payer universal healthcare free at the point-of-service run like a library. Anything cosmetically unnecessary can be covered w/insurance. This is medical empathy.
aug 31, 2025, 8:46 pm • 5 0 • view
Canadian here. How so? Care to explain? i don't hear anything about that.
aug 31, 2025, 8:29 pm • 0 0 • view
I’m confused by Medicare. As a retiree I’m on it. The Dr billed Medicare something like 169.00 for a procedure and got reimbursed something like $39.00. How is this sustainable?
aug 31, 2025, 7:59 pm • 1 0 • view
In defense of M4All, it is not exactly actual Medicare for all as we think of our current Medicare. Parts are much more similar to Medicaid, so the entire pay system is different.
aug 31, 2025, 8:20 pm • 1 0 • view
Charging anyone less than medicare rates is considered fraud. Hospitals & clinics set their charges at the level of the highest payer & accept whatever is allowed by the particular if they are “in plan”
aug 31, 2025, 9:35 pm • 1 0 • view
Really? Fraud?
sep 1, 2025, 3:34 am • 0 0 • view
Yup.
sep 1, 2025, 6:33 am • 0 0 • view
"the purity from some factions" do you even know what you're saying anymore, or do you just remix catchphrases ad nauseam
aug 31, 2025, 7:58 pm • 1 0 • view
I know exactly what I am saying. We need serious talks from serious people to work through existing issues. Other Reps have come up with some pretty clever hybrid solutions. Simply spouting M4All over and over by certain factions is simply not going to work.
aug 31, 2025, 8:08 pm • 0 0 • view
You don’t know that at all. You just don’t like Bernie and therefore have decided his plan won’t work and we need yet another means tested half solution
aug 31, 2025, 8:09 pm • 0 0 • view
LOL! Ok. You are literally now dismissing the idea of even talking about solutions. Good luck with that. And, bye, I have no tolerance for that kind of bullshit.🍸
aug 31, 2025, 8:12 pm • 0 0 • view
Solutions to what? You thinking Bernie’s plan wouldn’t work, for some reason? It would. And all your half-solutions aren’t happening either. Lot of good your pragmatism did
aug 31, 2025, 8:15 pm • 0 0 • view
Also, TAX THE RICH!!!! Now they pay almost no tax, by living on loans against their assets, then passing them on, TAX FREE to heirs.
aug 31, 2025, 8:24 pm • 0 0 • view
Tax great wealth, starting w a stock trade tax on total annual trades: 0.1% over $100,000, 0.5% over $1,000,000, 1% over $10,000,000, 5% over $100mn, 10% over $500 mn. US stock exchanges trade over $1 TRILLION daily, mostly computer driven. (Of course a tax would reduce trades, now not taxed.)
aug 31, 2025, 8:22 pm • 0 0 • view
Break up big corps w graduated tax on GROSS world corp income (harder to fudge than "profit") 0.1% over $500,000, 0.5% over $1,000,000, 2% over $10,000,000, 5% over $100,000,000, 10% over $1bn, 20% over $10bn, 30% >$50bn. Markets work ONLY when there's competition between many buyers, many sellers.
aug 31, 2025, 8:17 pm • 0 0 • view
US Medicare, unlike CA or AUS, is run by for profit insurance with the same 'profit=% of total' pay model that rewards waste and higher costs. We need MCR 4 all like Social Security, run by a boring bureaucracy of dedicated gov employees.
aug 31, 2025, 8:07 pm • 0 0 • view
Only 31 of the 32? Hmmm. I wonder who the one exception could possibly be?
aug 31, 2025, 7:53 pm • 0 0 • view
Oh only 31 out of 32 figured something out to help humans live the life we are all entitled to.Please it's all about crooks who are raking in the money that is why we don't have universal healthcare.
aug 31, 2025, 7:16 pm • 2 0 • view
True dat, Mac
aug 31, 2025, 8:03 pm • 0 0 • view
The complex part is getting from where we are to there without crashing the economy and screwing everyone who works/invests in the sector that is getting deleted. It isn't going to be implemented in one term. It is going to be phases. Obamacare was phase one, and the backlash to that stopped phase 2
aug 31, 2025, 8:16 pm • 0 0 • view