‘Medicare for All’ Would Help Heal the Income Gap
By Bill Boyarsky for Truthdig An overlooked aspect of the health care debate is how “Medicare for All” could reduce the income inequality that separates America’s rich from the poor and middle class. In the presidential campaign, attention has been focused on well-publicized, important questions of patient care: Will I lose my company- or union-sponsored […]
Southern Workers Unite Around Medicare for All: “A Tremendous Liberation From Your Boss”
Workers from across the South converged in Charlotte, N.C., on September 21 to kick off a Medicare for All campaign. By Jonathan Michels for In These Times CHARLOTTE, N.C.—A line of cars rolls up to the government center of the largest city in a state tied with neighbor South Carolina for least unionized in the […]
The Medicare for All debate is distorted
By Bob Herman for Axios Don Berwick, a physician and former head of Medicare and Medicaid during the Obama administration, wants the country to have a “rational” debate about “Medicare for All” — but says that will require a more rigorous comparison to the status quo. What he’s saying: This interview has been edited for […]
Under Medicare for All, You Will Never Lose Your Health Insurance Ever Again
Seventy percent of Americans oppose bosses being allowed to change or eliminate an employee’s health insurance. That’s our strongest case for Medicare for All — you’ll never lose your health insurance again. By Matt Bruenig for Jacobin Many centrist pundits have convinced themselves that Medicare for All (M4A) is unpopular because, when you include certain […]
How Employees & Employers Get Bled by Health Insurance
Something is seriously wrong with this system. By Wolf Richter for Wolf Street The annual cost of the average health insurance family plan through employers — employer and employee contributions combined – rose another 4.9% in 2019, to $20,576. This is up 255% from 20 years ago, having soared five times faster than the Consumer […]
Health Insurance Costs Surpass $20,000 Per Year, Hitting a Record
Ever-rising premiums have pushed some to drop coverage By John Tozzi for Bloomberg The cost of family health coverage in the U.S. now tops $20,000, an annual survey of employers found, a record high that has pushed an increasing number of American workers into plans that cover less or cost more, or force them out of the insurance […]
The 5 Biggest Lies Joe Biden Is Telling About Medicare for All
Joe Biden keeps lying about Medicare for All and won’t stop anytime soon — he has to, to sell his own Bidencare plan. But Medicare for All will always win on the merits. By Tim Higginbotham for Jacobin Ever since Joe Biden kicked off his 2020 presidential campaign by attending a big-dollar fundraiser with a […]
A Large Employer ‘Frames’ The ‘Medicare For All’ Debate
As health costs continue to grow, straining employer budgets and slowing wage growth, the business community is beginning to take the option more seriously. By Kaiser Health News for HealthLeaders EASTON, Pa. — Walk into a big-box retailer such as Walmart or Michaels and you’re likely to see MCS Industries’ picture frames, decorative mirrors or […]
How Medicare for All could impact employers
By Caitlin Owens for Axios Medicare for All could end up costing employers less than the current employer-sponsored health insurance system does, depending on how it’s structured. Yes, but: That certainly doesn’t mean employers are on board, partially because other concerns — like access to health care and the competitive advantage that generous benefits can create […]
US Workers Are Paying High Taxes. But Without Any of the Benefits.
The United States is commonly thought of as a low-tax country. But workers effectively pay some of the highest taxes in the developed world — without getting a decent welfare state in return. By Matt Bruenig for Jacobin Magazine Comparing labor tax rates across countries is a tricky endeavor. Some countries rely mostly on income […]