How does your healthcare plan compare?
Medicare For All opponents continue to repeat false claims about healthcare services that the single-payer plan provides. The reality is that Medicare For All gives doctors and patients more choices and control over their healthcare by expanding coverage to include additional essential services beyond the current Medicare system, and by removing restrictions that limit the choice of doctors or hospitals a patient can see. The plan also gives healthcare providers and hospitals the ability to decide what treatment and services to offer their patients based on their need, not what the insurance company decides to cover based on costs.
Under Sen. Bernie Sanders’s and Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare For All plans, everyone is covered for all essential healthcare services without cost at time of service. Only non-essential health services, such as plastic surgery and some alternative medicine practices, are excluded. Both plans also allow patients to visit any doctor or hospital they choose; no more waiting for private, profit-driven insurance providers to tell you and your doctor what treatment or care you can receive.
QUICK FACTS
- The healthcare services that would be covered under a single-payer Medicare For All system are more comprehensive than those covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans. Learn more
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FACT: The healthcare services that would be covered under a single-payer Medicare For All system are more comprehensive than those covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans.
The two bills for Medicare For All lay out the services that are covered under this single-payer system.
- Senator Sanders’s Medicare For All Act of 2019 (specifically see §201 – Comprehensive Benefits).
- Representative Jayapal’s Medicare For All Act of 2019 (H.R. 1384). (specifically see §201 – Comprehensive Benefits).
The essential health services covered by both bills, and not typically covered by other private insurance plans, includes 24-hour emergency and ambulatory services, dental, vision, and hearing, comprehensive reproductive, maternity and newborn care, and primary and preventive care for managing chronic diseases.
The major differences between the two plans is that Sanders covers case managers and extended rehabilitation services like long term nursing care and inpatient mental health treatment, while Jayapal’s plan doesn’t specifically mention these services. For a complete list of services covered, see Table 1 below.
Table 1
- Examples of services not covered by either Medicare For All plan would be plastic surgery or some alternative medicines, which would be decided by the Health and Human Services secretary under a new or returning presidential administration.
- Expanding essential health services to every person in the U.S., and eliminating premiums, copays, and deductibles also reduces the need for supplemental insurance like Medicare Advantage plans. Both bills also put a cap on the amount each person would pay for prescription drugs each year, as well. In other words, Medicare For All offers more services to more people for less cost than the current U.S. healthcare system.
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I am disabled & have been on medicare, I would have had 5 years too my life.
is we had med for all. I was in a work accident & had disability, then 2yrs latr applied for SSDI. 2 ×s denied w/ 2 broken disks in my neck & diagnosed w/ bipolar disorder in 1986. I had 2 wait 6 yrs for surgery, & they did not pay the doctor. I am still looking for an attorney. There is fraud in SSA just & Medicare, like all corps, I wrote to B. Boxer, but when she saw they stole my workmns comp, she dropped my like a virus. I can claim this aftr 10 yrs of studying in the law library, that a breach of contract, my civil & disability rights were disregarded, along w/ writing to my Dr. w/out my permission. I’d like to share with you that we must be aware, to work with over sight groups. There are too many errors that are not talked about with this agency , however we can certainly improve on the medicare program. We dont have to abuse paper, time, & people. We can listen, & possibly teach others to have patience when those in pain need help, & not be told they will loose their benefits.. I can attest to this. The program itself can work, but we cannot have only 1 Commissioner
In complete authority, we have experienced this in our recent past.
There should be no periods of waiting for receiving attention as there is in Medicare & disability. Why do people have to wait to receive money for anything when they are disabled or hurt? Congress design this because they don’t believe people. It’s insane. Medicare’s program has some catch 22 people need to talk w/ those who have the benefits & who are honest. Just thought I should share some of my experience. Love all you guys, been watching for about 5 yrs & I am 65 yrs mature. Hugs
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Christine. I am so sorry for all that you have been through. You are absolutely correct – Medicare has many aspects that need to be improved and that is what Medicare for All system would do. It’s a bit of a misnomer because it’s not about taking the current Medicare system and simply expanding it. We need to take the lessons from it, from countries that have done it right, and ensure that quality healthcare applies to everyone as a human right. Take good care of yourself and thank you for all your support. Hugs right back at ya!