Becerra Supports ‘Medicare for All,’ and Could Help States Get There

[Greenbeard]

An interesting look at how the new HHS Secretary could help facilitate state-level single-payer experiments if any state(s) wanted to step up and give it a shot. (New York? California?) It's hard to see the idea gaining traction at the national level without at least one state achieving a successful implementation first. Who will try?

Becerra Supports ‘Medicare for All,’ and Could Help States Get There

Xavier Becerra has long supported moving the United States to a “Medicare for all” system. As President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to run Health and Human Services, he may have opportunities to speed up such a transition.

The Health and Human Services secretary oversees an array of waivers that states can use to cover new groups or provide different types of health plans. Because these waivers do not require congressional approval, they could become a crucial policymaking tool for the Biden administration if Republicans retain control of the Senate.

States will also have the opportunity to pursue more experimental and larger coverage expansions. Many experts believe that Mr. Becerra’s waiver authority would easily allow a state-level public option to move forward. Nevada, Colorado and Connecticut have all considered the idea in recent years, and President-elect Biden supported the idea in his 2020 campaign. . .

An enterprising health secretary, working in partnership with a state, could also go even further. Some experts believe that a combination of Medicare, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act waivers could allow a state to build a single-payer plan with all of its federal health dollars.

The hardest part of moving single-payer health care forward this way may be finding a state that wants to step up and try again. The coronavirus has significantly strained state budgets; many states are now exploring cuts to their Medicaid programs rather than thinking about ways to expand coverage.

 

[aociswundumho]

The hardest part of moving single-payer health care forward this way may be finding a state that wants to step up and try again. The coronavirus has significantly strained state budgets; many states are now exploring cuts to their Medicaid programs rather than thinking about ways to expand coverage.

I thought the single payer model saves money? If yes, then the strained budgets are the best reason ever to impose single-payer.

 

[Greenbeard]

I thought the single payer model saves money? If yes, then the strained budgets are the best reason ever to impose single-payer.

It certainly increases the state budget, since by definition the state assumes the payer/purchaser role employers, insurers, etc currently play. Whether it saves on overall health spending is what the experiment would show.

 

[aociswundumho]

It certainly increases the state budget, since by definition the state assumes the payer/purchaser role employers, insurers, etc currently play.

No, because any single payer plan would include the necessary tax increases to pay for it.

 

[Greenbeard]

No, because any single payer plan would include the necessary tax increases to pay for it.

Yes, that's the challenging part of increasing the state budget.

 

[aociswundumho]

Yes, that's the challenging part of increasing the state budget.

Why is it challenging if the taxpayers of the state will end up better off?

 

[aociswundumho]

I guess I'll have to be the one to state the obvious.

Why is it challenging if the taxpayers of the state will end up better off?

It's "challenging" because you have to trick them into thinking they'll be better off, because each taxpayer that isn't a progressive idiot knows that higher taxes are virtually always a net loss to society.