~ By Don McCanne, MD “Although Medicare is the most popular health insurance program in the nation, it still has some serious deficiencies. As an example, 27 percent of Medicare beneficiaries spend more than 20 percent of their income for out-of-pocket health care expenses. There are two pressing reasons why efforts should be made to strengthen Medicare. The most obvious is that current Medicare beneficiaries should have at least the level of financial security and health security that citizens of other nations receive through their health care financing systems. The other reason is that Medicare is thought by many to be a natural model for a national health program that covers everyone. It is important that the model be improved so that we can do away with wasteful and inefficient supplementary programs such as Medigap coverage, retiree health benefits, Medicare Advantage plans, and Part D drug plans, and, while we are at it, eliminate the financial barriers of cost sharing that impair access to care. Once we have an improved Medicare we can combine it with the other important features of a single payer national health program, finally realizing our dream of an expanded and improved Medicare for all.”
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 00:49:53 +0000
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