Healthcare Promises: What 2020 Presidential Candidates Arent Telling You

(Forbes) Healthcare remains the nations top voting issue ahead of the 2020 elections just as it was during the 2018 midterms. Surveys show voters remain frustrated with high drug prices growing out-of-pocket expenses and skimpy health-insurance benefits. The leading candidates have publicly promised to fix these problems but all are omitting certain details about their healthcare plans. To help voters make informed decisions next November this article looks at what politicians on all sides left middle and right are not telling you about their healthcare promises. Healthcare took center stage during both rounds of the 2020 Democrat debates so far. There progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren touted slightly different versions of Medicare for All which remains a popular reform plan despite the fact that few voters understand the details. Here are the two most important things these candidates are omitting from their healthcare promises: 1. The math doesnt add up Its a well-known fact that Medicare is a government-funded program for seniors. Its a little-known fact that the program underpays doctors and hospitals (currently only 90 of the fully allocated costs) to treat Medicares 60 million enrollees. Doctors and hospitals offset these underpayments by charging private insurers 120 to 130 of the actual cost to treat Americas 155 million covered employees and dependents. In other words the Medicare math works now because private insurers (and thereby U.S. businesses) are footing much of the bill. So what would happen if Medicare for All became law and private insurance went away?