Government-Paid Medical Care Pulled Seniors Up Out of Poverty: They Should Remember That

BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG

By Mark Karlin

In the post World War II era, as America prospered and built a solid middle class (not being economically decimated by companies -- as we are now -- with no allegiance to the U.S. moving jobs overseas), there was a dirtly little secret: a large segment of our seniors lived in poverty.  This was, in large part, due to medical care that exhausted their savings.

Then Medicare was passed in the '60s, amidst vociferous operation from the Republican Party that called it -- you guessed -- "socialist" and "Communist."  The program was so succcessful that it lifted seniors from being one of our neediest classes of citizens to generally living (along with Social Security, a governnment pension plan) comfortably -- and children replaced them as the most neediest in our society.

Now, the GOP -- which has never relented its philosophical oppostition to Medicare until this year's hypocritical ploy to scare seniors that Medicare will be cut to allow for expanded healthcare coverage for the rest of America -- has the majority of seniors opposing general healthcare coverage for their fellow citizens out of fear.  Of course, fear is the Republican Party's only weapon to advance their major interest: greedy, gluttonous wealth for the few.

Then there are still the white senior Republicans who claim that they are opposed to "socialized" medicine, but I have not yet read of one American Republican senior turning in his or her Medicare card out of opposition to "socialized medicine" (it is really government medical insurance; the government provides no medical care in the Medicare program) for themselves. 

Right now, the most vulnerable age group for lack of health insurance is in the 50-65 year-old-range.  There are many reasons for this, but all of them lead to the same reality: this age group is the most medically vulnerable pre-Medicare insurance pool risk.

As such, insurance on the market is prohibitive for the unemployed of this age span, and employers are less likely to hire older workers for a variety of reasons, but one of them is their insurance costs.

I have read and heard of many stories of staggering medical cost debt for people in this age group, the kind that sucks you into bankruptcy and destiution.

Seniors with Medicare should realize that this nation, the Democrats, gave them a gift in the '60s.  They cannot, by any logical standard, be permitted to adopt the Republican standard of greed and oppose government administered health plans for the rest of America, just because America gave them Medicare and now they want to close the gate to newcomers.

Many months ago, BuzzFlash suggested that Obama would have had the "framing" edge on this debate if he had just proposed Medicare Part E for everyone under 65.

No one, not even the Republicans, are attacking Medicare this year, because the seniors are a key swing block in influencing how "healthcare reform" turns out. Medicare for everyone is a bold concept; simple, clean and proven, as compared to the "Obama Healthcare Reform Plan," which remains a moving target.

BuzzFlash supports a single-payer system, but realistically, right now we believe that as "healthcare reform" advances in the House and Senate, an amendment should be offered to lower Medicare to the age of 50.  This will open up job opportunities for people 50-65, make them more financially secure, and move us closer to single payer for all Americans.

Seniors need either renounce Medicare and pay their own medical bills or support Medicare for everyone, starting with the highly vulnerable 50-65 year old bulge.

BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG

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