WaPo: Coronavirus makes the case for Medicare-for-all

[ItsBobbyDarin]

Uhh no I don't think Coronavirus makes the case for M4A, I think there's like a thousand things that have made the case for M4A long before Corona. Corona is just the latest to highlight that our healthcare industry is fucked to hell.

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Exactly.

 

[Bakercat]

I think once it does hit hard it will be a example of why its needed. Most can't think abstract enough to understand until its right in their face imo.

I expect it to be spun into poor people mostly got hit, and they should of worked harder not to die, so who knows. The mindset here is awful.

 

[Woffls]

Case was already made, but people not getting checked because of bills is a really poignant trend from which to further the case.

 

[Sidebuster]

I would say "no" because it kind of implies that "OK, now we need Medicare for All" and that there wasn't already a case being made before. Which is idiotic.

This.

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Well, I think this is a case being made for the people who didn't really care. It's like, now they have to face it could get incredibly out of hand and deadly and they can't really pretend it doesn't exist like they do now with poor people suffering. So THEY should be saying, "Well damn, I guess we do need M4A for this reason. Can't have my employees all dying on me now. Think of the lost profits! *shudders*".

 

[Dr. Mario]

Yes and no.

1. In theory, M4A makes it much easier to create legislation that keeps cost of medicine down. However then this legislation still has to actually be put into place. Which in Murica, is not a given.
2. Yes it improves herd immunity. BUT
3. I'm from the Netherlands, where we have sort of M4A and way, way fewer people get flu shots here than in the US. You basically only get it if you're 70+ or have autoimmune diseases. Why? Because now you need to pay for the entire country, and does the cost weigh up to the potential benefits? For naturally occurring epidemics like the flu, the answer quickly becomes no.

Yes M4A is required, but when it comes to things like the flu, more urgent are all of these points:

It makes the case, not just for M4A, but for legislation that regulates the pharma companies and lack of funding on critical areas:

*USA Biotech companies uses these kind of moments, to manipulate their Stock by releasing false information (in this case, saying that they had invented a vaccine already). Government should take a closer look and punish them for its recklessness.

*There needs to be even more incentives to prevent pharma companies to gouge prices, if they anticipate an increase on product's demands.

*USA companies are shying away from work on vaccines, given that some of them yield low margins.

*USA also depends on China for base precursors/active ingredients used in most medicaments. If China is hit, then not only they will absorb everything for themselves, it will create a global scarcity. Something that they can very well artificially do, at any time, if it benefits them.

*USA cannot rely on importing medicine from Canada, for these kind of emergencies. Canadians would rightfully put a limit to such practice, if they were to be affected too.

*Obviously, most plans do not cover these kinds of sudden emergencies. Which means lack of test kits, lack of medicine, and proper protocols on the early days.

*What if someone claims using vaccines and medicine for treatment is against their believes? F*k the rest? There needs to be stronger protocols -state wise- to deal with opportunists and lack of information.

*A good portion of Rural areas do not even have enough nurses (nevermind doctors, or facilities) to handle major problems, thanks to defunding and budget rerouting. That's Conservative electorate, that Democrats needs to take into consideration. If they fall, cities will be next.

We can only imagine all the extra overhead in procedures/paperwork, hospitals and doctors would be put on if a large community suddenly gets infected.
Sander needs to put Trump (and the rest of the Democrats) on blast for all the negligence on these topics.

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[Kasumin]

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All the replies saying he's wrong because China is a communist country and clearly Medicare for all would make the US exactly like China give me a headache.

Can I move to another planet, yet?