Can we afford universal health care?

Last year we were told that we couldn't afford Medicare For All because it would cost an extra $1.4 Trillion in taxes a year. That number was largely accepted by the media.
I got to thinking that there's a real chance that this study was nothing but a guess.
But how would one know?
My idea is to look at a nation that recently transitioned to universal health care and how it compares to the United States. That nation is Mexico.

August 15, 2012 — Despite periods of economic downturns and crisis, Mexico recently achieved a significant milestone – enrolling 52.6 million previously uninsured Mexicans in public medical insurance programs and thereby achieving universal health coverage in less than a decade.

Mexico, a developing nation undergoing tremendous violence and corruption, still managed to transition to universal health care.
Meanwhile, the political establishment of both parties, the same people who believe that America is the greatest nation on Earth, must think that Mexico is far superior to the United States, because they like to tell us that universal health care here is impossible.
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There is a natural hubris to think that Mexico's health care system, since its cheap, it must suck.
I have two replies to that.
First of all, life expectancy.

Life expectancy at birth will continue to climb substantially for residents of industrialized nations — but not in the United States, where minimal gains will soon put life spans on par with those in Mexico and the Czech Republic, according to an extensive analysis released Tuesday.

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Note how Mexico achieved this accomplishment without any significant increase in health care costs.
Yet the political establishment tells us that this is impossible.

The other reply is a matter of the preference of people seeking medical care.

Last year, more than one million foreign patients traveled to the country for medical procedures ranging from nose jobs to more serious surgeries, according to Reportur, a Mexican publication.
In fact, Mexico is the most popular destination in the Western Hemisphere for Canadian and US citizens going abroad for medical treatment, according to a separate report, this one in The Market Mogul.
Over the past decade, Mexico’s earnings from medical tourism have skyrocketed as well, increasing from $544 million in 2006 to $4.7 billion in 2016 (96 percent).

Not only are Americans going to Mexico for medical care by the hundreds of thousands every year, but Americans are doing it at an increasing rate even while Mexico's health care system became more socialist.
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To put this another way, nearly a million Americans every year go hundreds of miles out of their way to seek a semi-socialist health care system. This is the opposite of what we are being told.

Now Mexico's health care system is not Medicare For All, and it is far from perfect, but it provides everyone with basic health care at a third of the price.

Costs overall are said to be 40-65 percent less than in America -- 70 percent or even more if we're talking about dental work. When you're facing a five-figure bill in the U.S., that means you can buy a plane ticket to Tijuana, book a hotel there, get healed, and then throw in another week of sightseeing and tequila on top of that, and you'll still end up spending less than if you'd gotten the work done at home.

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With chapters organized in their local communities nationwide, the Democratic Socialists of America is spearheading a major grassroots push for Medicare for All this weekend as its members show that the demand for a single-payer healthcare system is ultimately useless if people are not organized on its behalf.
The group said this is its first "nationally coordinated Weekend of Action," but would not be its last.
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An upper bound would be the present total cost of health care minus current spending on Medicare/Medicaid/Tricare/Federal contributions to employee healthcare. I know the latter is about $1100 per month per employee.

I say an upper bound because current experience shows providers are willing to accept much less from Medicare than from private insurance in exchange for one set of rules and PROMPT PAYMENT.

EDIT: And that would be the cost to the government. To figure the cost to the populace, subtract from that the current spending on health insurance and out of pocket payments. I'm 99% sure it's a net gain for the economy. Insco's can go back to selling life insurance, car insurance, and fire insurance.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

The Aspie Corner's picture

because med school is too fucking expensive in the United Corporations of Fundie'Murica.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCfg72aloYA]

Doctors are also killing themselves. Can't say I blame them with all the drug and procedure pushing they have to do just to keep their jobs. Of course, if we're gonna push for MFA, we need to deal with the pharma and hospital racket.

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Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.

Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.

@The Aspie Corner The AMA doesn't want to screw up a good thing (for them).

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The Aspie Corner's picture

@Snode Ironically, exiles who have badmouthed the country and its polcies also want to return, not because they actually want to live there, mind you, but because like the average libert-aryan, they just want the benefits of living there without paying for it.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=586ef4Tk9OU]

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Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.

Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.

because we're heading for excellent care for the to 20% and copper bracelets and vitamins for the rest. We'd have to slay capitalism in health care. Smoking, extra sugar and refined carbohydrates along with all the other crap that passes for nourishment would have to be called out loudly and often, along with stress and pollution. Also, don't forget dental. Because the greater savings will come with a healthier next generation. The cheapest health care is the health care you don't need.

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@Snode
If you purchase health insurance do you know what you are getting? Could you know without a medical degree?

When you go to the emergency room are you willing to haggle over the price? Would you be willing to turn down help if it was too expensive, and leave the emergency room while bleeding? Assuming that the hospital even knows the bill ahead of time.

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@gjohnsit The local hospital regularly has extended emergency room stays (up to a month) with guards for mental health admits because the state cut, cut ,cut and there's no beds. Best use of the most expensive health care dollars.

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Wink's picture

physically "sign in"
@gjohnsit
it's (at least) $200 (for admin costs) to keep the lights on, the ER open for biz. Any other care or "scripts" is on top of the $200.
I believe "admin costs" here are closer to $350, and if you got there by Ambulance that ride will cost you another $750. So, gawd forbid you need an Ambulance ride, your cost before an ounce of treatment is $1,100. ouch.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

NotMe ice but we have been going to Costa Rica since 2010 for our dental work. Much much cheaper and excellent service. Plus as was mentioned earlier nice place to hang out between office visits.

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Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.

This ain't no dress rehearsal!

the $1.4 trillion figure was calculated without netting out the premiums currently paid to individuals and businesses. Medicare is more efficient than private insurance and generally handling the most expensive cases. It should be possible to provide Medicare for all for less than current premiums plus money the government is already paying. If we allowed Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs like every other industrial country it would be a lot cheaper.

Calculating the financial costs while ignoring the financial benefits is just one more technique of people who like the way things are.

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Hetrose's picture

$1.4 Trillion. Hmmm. Something so familiar about it? What could it be? Let's see. Oh, how much did the Republican Congress just give away in tax breaks to the Rich and Corporations?

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