Do you oppose Medicare for All? How about Medicaid for All?

Disclaimer: I am a current recipient of Medicaid as a university student with poor parents (part-time jobs as a student don't generally make you enough to put you over the threshold). I use Medicaid when I get sick and need to see a doctor (market-price for visits is between $100-$400 without insurance), and I used it once when I had to go to the ER for a bite from a possibly rabies-infected animal (the cost of treatment was about $5000; the doctor essentially refused to let me not get treatment [I was afraid of the cost] since contracting rabies kills you 100% of the time).


Now on to my actual question:

Medicare is of course the service that provides insurance for the elderly (65+) and certain disabled people. Medicaid, on the other hand, is provided based on income.

So my question is, how do you feel about Medicare for All vs. Medicaid for All? Would you be willing to support either? Is one more palatable for you than the other?

What do you think elderly and disabled people should do to get the healthcare they need, sans Medicare?

What do you think poor people should do to get the healthcare they need, sans Medicare?

If you were in my situation, where I had been bitten by an animal that likely had rabies, but the hospital costs would be $5000, and you didn't have Medicaid like I did, what would you do?

Posted Apr 17, 2019, 10:02 PM UTC

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kenzington86•

I'm not sure I understand your train of thought here:

-The US has a program to provide health insurance to those with little money.

-You are a recipient of that program.

-You had an event where that program was needed because you did not have the money to have a good outcome without the program.

-Therefore, people with more money should also be recipients of the program, because they would need it if they didn't have money?

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AppathyOP•

I didn't make an argument at all, I only listed questions. I was using my experience as an example of Medicaid at work for a (I think) average person to provide context and frame the last question.

I am asking if you think that Medicare and/or Medicaid for all are good ideas and if you differentiate in your justifications for the two when considering this.

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AppathyOP•

Frighteningly, a week or so after the incident a rabies infected animal of the same species that bit me was found in the area that I live in. So I'm thankful for the care. But yes, it is more of a 'just in case' thing most of the time. The thing is that if you do get unlucky enough to get rabies you 100% die a painful, terrible death.

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Shakezula84•

Sure, but do you have $5000 I think was the question. Those in the bottom 50 don't have income like that sitting around, and hospitals won't treat people without some money upfront. The only exception being emergency care in emergency rooms, and an ER isn't going to give you regular injections.

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AppathyOP•

This is true. I had to come back about four times after the initial visit to get an injection. Each visit would have costed $1000.

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Shakezula84•

Interesting. I know someone who is consistently turned away for care and told to schedule an appointment. I guess it depends on where you are.

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ultra-royalistC: Old Right•

Those in the bottom 50 don't have income like that sitting around, and hospitals won't treat people without some money upfront.

That is not correct. It is against current US law to do that.

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