The majority of Democrats have signed onto a single-payer bill. Initially without much support, it's now gaining traction. But will "single-payer" healthcare trip up Democrats the way "repeal and replace" did with Republicans? One writer thinks so. This and other healthcare viewpoints in our latest Opinion Roundup.
- A recent polling from Gallup suggests that support for a “government-run” healthcare system is at 43 percent, nearly 10 percentage points higher than it was in 2010. Among Democrats, the notion attracts 63 percent support. Senator Bernie Sanders plans to introduce his own single-payer bill this week. But one NYT writer says that Democrats "may want to learn the lessons of their opposition," saying that broadly popular slogans like “single-payer” gloss over intraparty disagreements and policy choices and that Democrats could find themselves similarly factionalized and stymied over the details like Republicans did.
- An opinion writer for The Hill thinks that Hillary Clinton should support Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" bill. "The Sanders 'Medicare for all' plan is good politics, history-making policy and a living testament to what distinguishes Democrats from Republicans," he said.
- Another outlet opines that "Another stab at destroying Obamacare (i.e. the ACA) is not what voters want. Instead, both parties should dedicate themselves to building on it," saying that for the time being, it's essential to keep the ACA running.
- Although premiums are expected to jump 10 percent or more in many states next year, the LA Times says that Congress can rein in that increase significantly — if it acts quickly. "It will require Senate Republicans to stop flirting with yet another partisan proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and start focusing instead on steps to make coverage more affordable that can win broad support," it said.
- In health technology news, former Homeland Security Secretary, Tom Ridge, said the solution to the future of healthcare lies in moving from risk to resilience. With the expanding cyberthreat landscape, he recommended that hospitals and healthcare organizations start to shift their thinking from risk management to "incorporating and participating in an information sharing and analysis center as part of becoming a resilient enterprise."
- And last, but not least, a PhD student and a second-year law student, wrote a piece on why this country's healthcare measures should do a better job of meeting the needs of transgender people. "Recent findings suggest that some healthcare quality measures inappropriately include or exclude transgender people and are not tailored to address the unique needs of this population."
So, what do you think? Do you support single-payer healthcare? Do you oppose Medicare for all? Do you think both Republicans and Democrats should work together on a bi-partisan healthcare bill or should the GOP try to repeal and replace Obamacare as originally intended? Share your thoughts in the comments.
