In her July 18 letter, businesswoman Carolyn Brodsky encourages Sen. Susan Collins to support the latest Senate health care bill: “… It’s the best chance … we’ll get to undo the damage that Obamacare has caused and make a fresh start.” I would like to suggest that an Improved Medicare for All system would address many of the issues she cites:
• “$500 billion in taxes”: According to a recent study in Annals of Internal Medicine, an Improved Medicare for All plan would actually save more than that.
• “Terrible Obamacare mandates”: With Improved Medicare for All, there would be no mandates other than the requirement to pay equitable taxes (replacing premiums, co-pays, deductibles), as we do now against the risk of war, fire, crime, etc.
• “Breathtaking increases in premiums”: These are because of political uncertainty, failure to enforce mandates that spread costs and insurance company maneuvering to maintain profits (Anthem stock value is up over 30 percent so far this year). With IMFA, these inflationary pressures would disappear.
• “Obamacare stifles business vitality”: With Improved Medicare for All, employers could focus on their business plans without the distraction and expense of providing health insurance.
• “The Senate bill will allow increased competition”: Health insurance markets are different from other markets: Competition hasn’t lowered costs unless by decreasing coverage, few people have the know-how or information needed to compare plans, no one knows the care they and their families may need and rejecting access to care is not an option. With Improved Medicare for All, competition is among providers, not insurers, and the effect is better care.
• “The Senate bill will … give states more control over programs like Medicaid”: With Improved Medicare for All, there are no demeaning “programs like Medicaid.” No Blue Health Care and Red Health Care, just Good Health Care.
Improved Medicare for All is our “best chance” to “make a fresh start.”
Daniel Bryant, M.D.
Cape Elizabeth
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