Today on The View, Vice President Kamala Harris’ announced a proposal to expand Medicare to cover long-term care at home could be the most meaningful shift in our system in decades.
I cannot overstate the critical importance of this proposal. Obviously the devils in the details, and just the announcement itself sets Harris far apart from the Republican ticket and party in general which is content to let millions of American families face financial, psychological and emotional hardships. Watching my wife, a nurse, public health and home care professional work with families over the last 40 years has proven to me the absolute bankruptcy of our national policy - or lack thereof - around long term care. We say we care about our seniors and their care givers but we don’t take action to actually make a difference. I’m sure the Republicans will call this a tax and spend giveaway to undeserving people but have a feeling that’s not going to fly for the population as a whole. Every American - red, blue or orange is facing this crisis whether they know it or not.
I just don't believe a word of this. Kamala knows what she needs to say to try to swing voters. She has no intention of making it happen, just as Biden and Obama had no intention of making it happen, either. What have she and her buddy Biden done towards this end while they've been in power for four years? Oh right, nothing. Do people just believe what they wanna believe? And please, stop with the "we can negotiate drug prices now." Yeah, on TEN specific medications, out of HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS. Don't give these people so much credit for talking shit and enacting extremely partial solutions to OVERWHELMING PROBLEMS.
That is because Presidents can only make proposals but both houses of the US Congress have to pass these programs in order for them to become law. The Republican Party has stopped many advances, including insulin and widespread drug price negotiations for all Americans, just like they stopped the bipartisan border bill when they control either the House or the Senate. We need a DEMOCRATIC House and Senate for this to get passed. Vote Democrats up and down the slate.
As Wendell Potter pointed out, home health services coverage was included in legislation proposed by the Biden administration. It was stripped out by the Republicans who couldn't care less about health care.
You’re right! Until we can stop wars created by our administration, stop pre paid, incentivized illegal migration, reduce the deficit among a few things, we can never afford in home care for all.
I read Medicare Advantage insurance companies over charge 140 billion dollars to the medicare trust fund per year and this has been going on for over 10 years. That money should be clawed back and used to fund the Harris plan along with other plans.
Up until this article, I haven't had a good feeling about either candidate. But this so impressed me about Harris.
There is real thought, compassion and intelligence about what she is saying. And I think it can be a real game changer for "patients " as well as caregivers.
I do think more money will be needed by other sources.
I'm glad she's showing this side of her to more people. And thank you for showing it to me.
It’s silly to propose a program that they know cannot be funded from pharmaceutical savings. A total gaslighting joke. We have the sickest aging population in the world and there is not enough money in the universe to fund such a boondoggle. Not until we get our nation healthy can we ever afford this benefit.
Medicare is the most popular government program in this country. I felt like I had reached the Promised Land when I turned 65 and qualified for Medicare.
An important issue and I’m glad she’s highlighting it. Is it fair to ask how she’s going to pay for it? As things stand Medicare will not be around when I’m eligible in 10 years. Are there savings to be found in the existing program so that we can afford a new benefit? Or would she support implementing a tax on healthcare benefits above the $25,000 level (as originally written into the ACA)?
Studies have shown that regulating drug prices for everyone could save $500 Billion per year. Home health care will also be far less expensive than nursing home care. Shifting nursing home care from Medicaid to Medicare will save administrative dollars.
How are we paying for our insanely bloated "defense" budget? #MMT
The USG has been claiming its interests (currently represented by 🇺🇦, 🇮🇱 and 🇹🇼) are under attack, but that's really only because the US thinks all the world's resources rightfully belong to the US and the US alone. As an empire, it wants to control the world.
Hence our military presence, force projection, meddling in other countries' internal affairs and orchestrating coups through NGOs, agencies like USAID, NED and other CIA cutouts all over the globe, of course assisted by the State Department. That all costs money. Lots of money. Pallets full of money in some cases. All the while the US hypocritically wails about fucking "Russian election interference in our sacred democracy". #RussiaGate
The US, like other industrialized nations, can afford universal health care for its residents but it simply doesn't want to give it to them. Instead, it has set up a complex, punitive and expensive system of middlemen and excessive, duplicative, fragmented administration with the sole purpose of enriching the oligarchs at the expense of a captive audience of sick and suffering people. It's all about rent-seeking and upward wealth transfer, not helping people.
Oh, and don't believe a word Harris says. She's a pandering neoliberal ghoul, currently supporting a genocide and wrecking 404, who is fully bought and paid for by the oligarchs that run the US. She will only expand the above system and make it worse. She might throw us some scraps to keep us from revolting but that's it. She's not going to fix anything because it's already working as designed. It's a feature, not a bug.
And Trump is just as bad, and has an even bigger crush on 🇮🇱, for one. His presidency also had lots of issues I won't go into - but there are plenty. Not a fan of that sociopathic narcissist.
And remember, there is only one party, the far right wing UniParty, with a Democrat and Republican business unit (these "parties" are in reality private corporations, stage managing Elections, Inc. - have you ever worked for a democratic company?).
Some light reading if you think this all sounds too overboard:
I cannot overstate the critical importance of this proposal. Obviously the devils in the details, and just the announcement itself sets Harris far apart from the Republican ticket and party in general which is content to let millions of American families face financial, psychological and emotional hardships. Watching my wife, a nurse, public health and home care professional work with families over the last 40 years has proven to me the absolute bankruptcy of our national policy - or lack thereof - around long term care. We say we care about our seniors and their care givers but we don’t take action to actually make a difference. I’m sure the Republicans will call this a tax and spend giveaway to undeserving people but have a feeling that’s not going to fly for the population as a whole. Every American - red, blue or orange is facing this crisis whether they know it or not.
I just don't believe a word of this. Kamala knows what she needs to say to try to swing voters. She has no intention of making it happen, just as Biden and Obama had no intention of making it happen, either. What have she and her buddy Biden done towards this end while they've been in power for four years? Oh right, nothing. Do people just believe what they wanna believe? And please, stop with the "we can negotiate drug prices now." Yeah, on TEN specific medications, out of HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS. Don't give these people so much credit for talking shit and enacting extremely partial solutions to OVERWHELMING PROBLEMS.
That is because Presidents can only make proposals but both houses of the US Congress have to pass these programs in order for them to become law. The Republican Party has stopped many advances, including insulin and widespread drug price negotiations for all Americans, just like they stopped the bipartisan border bill when they control either the House or the Senate. We need a DEMOCRATIC House and Senate for this to get passed. Vote Democrats up and down the slate.
As Wendell Potter pointed out, home health services coverage was included in legislation proposed by the Biden administration. It was stripped out by the Republicans who couldn't care less about health care.
You’re right! Until we can stop wars created by our administration, stop pre paid, incentivized illegal migration, reduce the deficit among a few things, we can never afford in home care for all.
Reminder to everyone that Medicare was created in approximately 1965 because private for profit insurance companies dropped people as the aged.
These corporations care only for our premiums.
I read Medicare Advantage insurance companies over charge 140 billion dollars to the medicare trust fund per year and this has been going on for over 10 years. That money should be clawed back and used to fund the Harris plan along with other plans.
It's another non starter. Not going to happen. She is just pandering to those who don't know how the government works.
Up until this article, I haven't had a good feeling about either candidate. But this so impressed me about Harris.
There is real thought, compassion and intelligence about what she is saying. And I think it can be a real game changer for "patients " as well as caregivers.
I do think more money will be needed by other sources.
I'm glad she's showing this side of her to more people. And thank you for showing it to me.
It’s silly to propose a program that they know cannot be funded from pharmaceutical savings. A total gaslighting joke. We have the sickest aging population in the world and there is not enough money in the universe to fund such a boondoggle. Not until we get our nation healthy can we ever afford this benefit.
I understand what is being attempted, but the minute the government is sticking his two cents into something that? It's going to be a disaster
Medicare is the most popular government program in this country. I felt like I had reached the Promised Land when I turned 65 and qualified for Medicare.
An important issue and I’m glad she’s highlighting it. Is it fair to ask how she’s going to pay for it? As things stand Medicare will not be around when I’m eligible in 10 years. Are there savings to be found in the existing program so that we can afford a new benefit? Or would she support implementing a tax on healthcare benefits above the $25,000 level (as originally written into the ACA)?
Studies have shown that regulating drug prices for everyone could save $500 Billion per year. Home health care will also be far less expensive than nursing home care. Shifting nursing home care from Medicaid to Medicare will save administrative dollars.
How are we paying for our insanely bloated "defense" budget? #MMT
The USG has been claiming its interests (currently represented by 🇺🇦, 🇮🇱 and 🇹🇼) are under attack, but that's really only because the US thinks all the world's resources rightfully belong to the US and the US alone. As an empire, it wants to control the world.
Hence our military presence, force projection, meddling in other countries' internal affairs and orchestrating coups through NGOs, agencies like USAID, NED and other CIA cutouts all over the globe, of course assisted by the State Department. That all costs money. Lots of money. Pallets full of money in some cases. All the while the US hypocritically wails about fucking "Russian election interference in our sacred democracy". #RussiaGate
The US, like other industrialized nations, can afford universal health care for its residents but it simply doesn't want to give it to them. Instead, it has set up a complex, punitive and expensive system of middlemen and excessive, duplicative, fragmented administration with the sole purpose of enriching the oligarchs at the expense of a captive audience of sick and suffering people. It's all about rent-seeking and upward wealth transfer, not helping people.
Oh, and don't believe a word Harris says. She's a pandering neoliberal ghoul, currently supporting a genocide and wrecking 404, who is fully bought and paid for by the oligarchs that run the US. She will only expand the above system and make it worse. She might throw us some scraps to keep us from revolting but that's it. She's not going to fix anything because it's already working as designed. It's a feature, not a bug.
And Trump is just as bad, and has an even bigger crush on 🇮🇱, for one. His presidency also had lots of issues I won't go into - but there are plenty. Not a fan of that sociopathic narcissist.
And remember, there is only one party, the far right wing UniParty, with a Democrat and Republican business unit (these "parties" are in reality private corporations, stage managing Elections, Inc. - have you ever worked for a democratic company?).
Some light reading if you think this all sounds too overboard:
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/10/richard-d-wolff-michael-hudson-middle-east-exploding-ukraine-crumbling-the-us-take-action.html