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Dr. Don McCanne encourages #SinglePayer activists to consider the questions posed by @USCBO in yesterday's report. These issues will be the subject of intense debate as Congress moves forward with #MedicareForAll legislation. bit.ly/2XWW5Xd
Q: How would the government administer a #SinglePayer health plan?
A: Our current Medicare program is the best model. Although it needs to disentangle itself from private health insurers, eliminate "value-based" payment schemes, and institute global budgets for hospitals.
A: Our current Medicare program is the best model. Although it needs to disentangle itself from private health insurers, eliminate "value-based" payment schemes, and institute global budgets for hospitals.
Q: Who would be eligible for the plan, and what benefits would it cover?
A: All residents of the U.S. would be covered for all medically necessary care.
A: All residents of the U.S. would be covered for all medically necessary care.
Q: What cost sharing, if any, would the plan require?
A: Zero. Even minimal cost-sharing deters patients from seeking medical care.
A: Zero. Even minimal cost-sharing deters patients from seeking medical care.
Q: What role, if any, would private insurance and other public programs have?
A: Private health insurers would be prohibited from selling duplicative coverage. @VeteransHealth and @IHSgov would be preserved, while other public programs would be folded into #MedicareForAll.
A: Private health insurers would be prohibited from selling duplicative coverage. @VeteransHealth and @IHSgov would be preserved, while other public programs would be folded into #MedicareForAll.
Q: Which providers would be allowed to participate, and who would own the hospitals and employ the providers?
A: Participation and eligibility would be similar to the current Medicare program. Hospitals and clinics would remain private, but would transition to nonprofit status.
A: Participation and eligibility would be similar to the current Medicare program. Hospitals and clinics would remain private, but would transition to nonprofit status.
Q: How would the #SinglePayer system set provider payment rates and purchase prescription drugs?
A: Global budgets would be used to fund hospitals while private practices would bill based on a negotiated fee schedule. #MedicareForAll would establish a national drug formulary.
A: Global budgets would be used to fund hospitals while private practices would bill based on a negotiated fee schedule. #MedicareForAll would establish a national drug formulary.
Q: How would the #SinglePayer system contain health care costs?
A: Cutting $500B of administrative waste, establishing global budgets for hospitals, using separate budgets for capital expenses, regional planning, and negotiating with #BigPharma.
A: Cutting $500B of administrative waste, establishing global budgets for hospitals, using separate budgets for capital expenses, regional planning, and negotiating with #BigPharma.
Q: How would the system be financed?
A: Current public sources of health funding and progressive taxes, combined to equal current total national health spending. Private sources of health funding (premiums, copays, coinsurance) would be eliminated.
A: Current public sources of health funding and progressive taxes, combined to equal current total national health spending. Private sources of health funding (premiums, copays, coinsurance) would be eliminated.
The #MedicareForAll of 2019 (H.R. 1384) would establish a well-designed #SinglePayer system in the United States. To learn more about this bill, introduced by @RepJayapal and @RepDebDingell, visit pnhp.org/HouseBill.
