Providing Medicare for All not as big a reach as some think

Proposing “Medicare for All” seems to be a frequent topic in our just-getting-started presidential campaign.

Some welcome this idea. Others loudly protest government takeover and the rise of socialism. But I think folks need to take a quick look at the facts of what already exists in our country. The U.S. population was 327.2 million in December 2018 (U.S. Census Bureau).

Kaiser Foundation data shows 59.87 million folks on Medicare that same month (based on age and disability). Medicaid.gov data shows 65.85 million enrolled in Medicaid, and 6.6 million in Children’s Health Program (CHIP). Veterans Administration data shows 8.92 million enrolled in Veteran Admin Heath Program. That totals up to 141.24 million Americans that are already on government health care. Today! Thad’s 43.16 percent of all Americans. Making it easier to qualify or expanding these programs should not be looked at as a big deal, or a huge change to our health system. The programs are already setup and working.

John J. “Jack” Snyder

Snohomish