All the News That's Fit to be Tied

I have an axe to grind, but unlike the New York Times, I freely admit it.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Medicare for Everyone

New York junior Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's view of healthcare reform is "having a public option, similar to a Medicare-for-all program." This is what she included in an email response to a letter from one of her constituents. It is what conservatives have been saying for more than a year. The road to single-payer is paved with this kind of meaningless, cheap and unaccountable rhetoric. If you are one of those who believe that Medicare is free you had better wake up. The reason people on Medicare and Medicaid like it is because compared to commercial health insurance it is cheap. It's cheap because it is taxpayer funded. It's cheap because the people on it only pay a small portion of the real cost. It's cheap because it pays service providers less than other insurers. It's cheap because the cost is passed along to future generations. If you love America and your children you will tell your representatives and senators to vote "no" on healthcare reform.