Elections Bidencare- Here's What Joe's Healthcare Plan Would Do

[luckyshot]

No, it isn't M4A, but it is a big potential step in that direction, and it would still have many positive impacts for lower and middle income Americans.

• Independent estimates suggest that under Biden’s plan, 15 million to 20 million Americans would gain health insurance. And premiums would fall sharply, especially for middle-class families.
• Cement the Obamacare protections for pre-existing conditions.
• Offer a “public option” — a Medicare-like plan that individuals could buy instead of purchasing private insurance. This is a BIG step towards a possible M4A future. [Edit: The plan calls for this public option to cost "not more than 8.5%" of an individual's income.]
  
• Substantially increase the subsidies that currently help many but not all Americans who don’t get insurance from their employers.
  
• Remove the upper-income limit that currently prevents many middle-class families from receiving these subsidies.
• Automatically enroll low-income Americans in the public option.
  
• No more confusing state-by-state exchange plans to navigate.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget puts the price tag at $850 billion over a decade. But it would cost far less than the 2017 tax cut, much of which went to corporations.

And don't forget, the Trump SCotUS is likely to strike down the ACA, so if we don't get another bill signed into law, tens of millions of Americans will lose their current coverage, and we ALL will lose protections for pre-existing conditions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/opinion/joe-biden-health-care.html

 

[sickc0d3r]

No, it isn't M4A, but it still would have many positive impacts for lower and middle income Americans.

• Independent estimates suggest that under Biden’s plan, 15 million to 20 million Americans would gain health insurance. And premiums would fall sharply, especially for middle-class families.
• Cement the Obamacare protections for pre-existing conditions.
• Offer a “public option” — a Medicare-like plan that individuals could buy instead of purchasing private insurance. This is a BIG step towards a possible M4A future.
  
• Substantially increase the subsidies that currently help many but not all Americans who don’t get insurance from their employers.
  
• Remove the upper-income limit that currently prevents many middle-class families from receiving these subsidies.
• Automatically enroll low-income Americans in the public option.
  
• No more confusing state-by-state exchange plans to navigate.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget puts the price tag at $850 billion over a decade. But it would cost far less than the 2017 tax cut, much of which went to corporations.

And don't forget, the Trump SCotUS is likely to strike down the ACA, so if we don't get another bill signed into law, tens of millions of Americans will lose their current coverage, and we ALL will lose protections for pre-existing conditions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/opinion/joe-biden-health-care.html

Public option should be an acceptable compromise to most people regardless of politics. With the possibility of flipping the senate, it actually has chance of passing, too (If Biden wins, of course).

 

[luckyshot]

Public option should be an acceptable compromise to everyone regardless of politics. With the possibility of flipping the senate, it actually has chance of passing, too (If Biden wins, of course).

If the Senate doesn't flip, and the GOP holds out against a public option, they are writing the script for a 55-45 Democrat majority in 2022.

Being a party of obstruction against one of the most popular policies in the country is not a great way to go.

They'd be better off cutting their loses and trying to negotiate with Biden-- which Biden, because he is a softy, will be willing to do.

 

[sickc0d3r]

If the Senate doesn't flip, and the GOP holds out against a public option, they are writing the script for a 55-45 Democrat majority in 2022.

Being a party of obstruction against one of the most popular policies in the country is not a great way to go.

They'd be better off cutting their loses and trying to negotiate with Biden-- which Biden, because he is a softy, will be willing to do.

The GOP side of the senate hasn’t exactly been the compromising type when it comes to health care, but I like your take anyway. I expect at worst they’d only need one gop vote with the vp as a tie breaker.

 

[Hadron90]

Biden is going to raise my taxes, isn't he?

 

[luckyshot]

Biden is going to raise my taxes, isn't he?

Does your household make over $400k per year?


Why Biden Would Start Tax Increases at $400,000 a Year
Democrat’s plan would affect only about 1.8% of households, sparing the middle class, but constrain policy choices

https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-biden-would-start-tax-increases-at-400-000-a-year-11601730000

M4A would require a middle class tax raise... that is largely why Biden isn't doing it. I think it would be worth it... and I think we'd save money, ultimately, by not paying premiums... but that is not the path Biden is taking. He's going for the incrementalist approach.

 

[andnowweknow]

With how poorly Trump is likely to do, you guys still think that's not gonna have a massive affect down ballot?

Republicans are not keeping the Senate. Nothing suggests that is likely.

 

[HockeyBjj]

Offer a “public option” — a Medicare-like plan that individuals could buy instead of purchasing private insurance.

How much would purchasing this cost the person?

Substantially increase the subsidies that currently help many but not all Americans who don’t get insurance from their employers.

These subsidies are what drove the prices up on people with employer provided healthcare plans. I hope the funding for this doesn’t result in middle class paying for the non working class again.

Automatically enroll low-income Americans in the public option.

So free health insurance for these people then? Suppose that’s one way to try and account for all the no insurance no pay folks who still need ER treatment.

 

[Hadron90]

Does your household make over $400k per year?

If yes, then yes, he will.

If not, then no, he won't.

Why Biden Would Start Tax Increases at $400,000 a Year
Democrat’s plan would affect only about 1.8% of households, sparing the middle class, but constrain policy choices

https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-biden-would-start-tax-increases-at-400-000-a-year-11601730000

I'm not just talking about brackets. Is he going to roll back Trump's doubling of the standard deduction?

 

[Deleted member 159002]

Does his plan still include forcing insurance companies to cover "gender affirming" i.e. cosmetic services? Will abortions for "men" be covered?

 

[MMAisGod]

@luckyshot you know Biden's agenda better than most. Can you explain the "substantially increase the subsidies" part? In a way that doesn't sound like it's going to highjack the HC cost for someone like me?

 

[luckyshot]

How much would purchasing this cost the person?

Under Biden's plan, no one would be required to pay more than 8.5 percent of their income toward health insurance premiums.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...mental-whats-really-in-joe-bidens-health-plan

Biden’s plan allows for consumers to buy into the individual marketplace and choose their health care provider of choice. In an effort to expand access even on that front, the plan will only allow consumers to spend 8.5 percent of their income on insurance. Under the Affordable Care Act, consumers could spend almost 10 percent of their income when paying for insurance.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/me...cal-discussion-n988541/ncrd1030086#blogHeader

For me, the big question is: how long will it take for enough people to enroll in the public plan for employers to start adjusting their compensation packages?

This is probably something no one knows unless/ until it happens.

These subsidies are what drove the prices up on people with employer provided healthcare plans. I hope the funding for this doesn’t result in middle class paying for the non working class again.

@luckyshot you know Biden's agenda better than most. Can you explain the "substantially increase the subsidies" part? In a way that doesn't sound like it's going to highjack the HC cost for someone like me?

The plan is to cover these subsidies by repealing Trump's corporate tax cuts. Also, remember, there is no income cap for the public plan or the subsidies, so these would be subsidies you would also get if you choose the public plan.

So free health insurance for these people then? Suppose that’s one way to try and account for all the no insurance no pay folks who still need ER treatment.

It would effectively be a Medicaid expansion for low income people instead of letting the states choose whether or not to expand it (many states have already chosen to expand Medicare, so the situation in those places would remain essentially unchanged). Requiring people to go through the state exchanges is an inefficient and confusing process, anyways.

The 2.5 million people currently ineligible for either Medicaid or private insurance subsidies because their states have chosen not to expand Medicaid would be automatically enrolled in Biden's public option, at no cost to them or the states where they live.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...mental-whats-really-in-joe-bidens-health-plan

 

[Amerikuracana]

I’ll read into it.

if there’s a mandate that screws middle class Americans, it sucks.

Trumps work with prescription medication prices doesn’t get enough credit.

Getting rid of the mandate and potentially drastically lowering drug prices is an improvement. My family got hit with the penalty when we were poor.

 

[sickc0d3r]

With how poorly Trump is likely to do, you guys still think that's not gonna have a massive affect down ballot?

Republicans are not keeping the Senate. Nothing suggests that is likely.

With the full court press on vote suppression and a month of news cycle to go (just look at everything that’s happened in the last week and a half) I am not comfortable.

 

[bobgeese]

Sounds great, but I’m old enough to remember Obama "care".

 

[wbubbles]

Its what they shouldve been doing all along. Keep the good parts of obamacare and tweak and omit the bad. Trump had a chance to do this and has been all talk.

 

[MMAisGod]

This is a hard number to pin down, as costs would likely change year-by-year (just like regular insurance does).

There is this though:

Biden’s plan allows for consumers to buy into the individual marketplace and choose their health care provider of choice. In an effort to expand access even on that front, the plan will only allow consumers to spend 8.5 percent of their income on insurance. Under the Affordable Care Act, consumers could spend almost 10 percent of their income when paying for insurance.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/me...cal-discussion-n988541/ncrd1030086#blogHeader

For me, there are two big questions:
1. How do family rates differ from individual rates?
2. How long will it take for enough people to enroll in the public plan for employers to start adjusting their compensation packages?

The first question is something Biden could answer; the second is probably something no one knows unless/ until it happens.



The plan is to cover these subsidies by repealing Trump's corporate tax cuts. Also, remember, there is no income cap, so these would be subsidies you would also get if you choose the public plan.

It would effectively be a Medicare expansion for low income people instead of letting the states choose whether or not to expand it (many states have already chosen to expand Medicare, so the situation in those places would remain essentially unchanged). Requiring people to go through the state exchanges is an inefficient and confusing process, anyways.

That helps a lot, I'll read into it. Sounds promising on paper, thanks.

 

[luckyshot]

Does his plan still include forcing insurance companies to cover "gender affirming" i.e. cosmetic services? Will abortions for "men" be covered?

Believe it or not, with increasing numbers of uninsured people every year since 2016, a pandemic, and the prospect of the SCOTUS ending protection for pre-existing conditions, these are not the main issues most Americans are concerned with.

 

[luckyshot]

Sounds great, but I’m old enough to remember Obama "care".

You are also old enough to remember before Obamacare when there was no protection for preexisting conditions and medical bills were the leading cause of personal bankruptcy.

 

[Gundarmyx]

Hope he wins and implements this new healthcare that is badly needed. The right is offering shit yet they criticize everything