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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Thursday Alan Grayson Blogging

Posted by Jill | 5:29 AM

When you're working 7 days a week you miss stuff like this:

GRAYSON INTRODUCES PUBLIC OPTION ACT
Bill Opens Up Medicare To Anyone Who Can Pay For It

March 9, 2010

Washington, DC

Congressman Alan Grayson, D-Fla., today introduced a bill (H.R. 4789) which would give the option to buy into Medicare to every citizen of the United States. The “Public Option Act,” also known as the “Medicare You Can Buy Into Act,” would open up the Medicare network to anyone who can pay for it.

Congressman Grayson said, “Obviously, America wants and needs more competition in health coverage, and a public option offers that. But it’s just as important that we offer people not just another choice, but another kind of choice. A lot of people don’t want to be at the mercy of greedy insurance companies that will make money by denying them the care that they need to stay healthy, or to stay alive. We deserve to have a real alternative.”

The bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish enrollment periods, coverage guidelines, and premiums for the program. Because premiums would be equal to cost, the program would pay for itself.

“The government spent billions of dollars creating a Medicare network of providers that is only open to one-eighth of the population. That’s like saying, ‘Only people 65 and over can use federal highways.’ It is a waste of a very valuable resource and it is not fair. This idea is simple, it makes sense, and it deserves an up-or-down vote,” Congressman Grayson said.

In keeping with the “Grayson style,” the bill is clear and concise. It is only four pages. You can read the bill here.

In case you hadn't heard, Alan Grayson is leading in the REPUBLICAN primary race in his district.

Labels: Alan Grayson, health care, sheer awesomeness

3 comments

3 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear God, please let Grayson run for President in 2012. Let's make Obama a one term President.

3/11/10, 7:20 AM

Jayhawk said...

Well, it's a nice grandstanding move by Grayson, he's good at those, but it illustrates the lack of understanding that is typical of him. I get Medicare for $94/mth now, bucause I have been paying into the system for 40+ years without using it. What would my premium be if those 40 years of premiums were not in existance and I were absorbing the cost now? I can't really do the math, but it would almost certainly be equal to or higher than private insurance.

Medicare is a program designed to be paid for by the pool of people who pay for long periods of time and use it for short periods of time. Using it to compete with a "pay as you go pool" sounds really good, but it is like throwing oranges into an apple sorter.

Everyone is in love with Grayson because he is enough smarter than the average politician that he can make his nonsense sound like good ideas.

3/11/10, 9:41 AM

ted said...

Jay,
Any good mathematician could compute the true costs that should be paid by someone who has only paid for 10 years instead of 40. So the math is the easy part.

I'm also on Medicare. If you're happy with the $94 benefits, have at it. I'm not. And if you get seriously sick, you won't be either.
I've got a Supplemental plan and a Part D drug plan. Total cost to me is closer to $400 a month. Still a LOT less than I was paying for the private plan [I'm self employed] I was paying for last year...

In many cases, even doubling this cost would be cheaper for many people. I was paying $700 per month, and I was healthy, for a high-deductible plan. I suspect many people would consider $1000 a month to be "cheap" if it was all they could get.

My biggest issue with Medicare for all is that we WON'T charge enough. Not because we don't know what that is, but because it won't be "politically expedient". Too many in Conress will see it as a way to please constituents and to h**l with the costs.... But it's not because we don't know what they are!

3/11/10, 8:54 PM