The U.S. healthcare system is so complicated, it’s hard to figure out how much anything really costs.
If you’re a patient, there are different charges for the same procedure depending on where you get it (in the hospital, a surgery center or the doctor’s office), which hospital you go to or what kind of health insurance you have.
Not only is the cost of actual care confusing, so are the costs of all the ‘middlemen’ who don’t provide any care at all, like insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and pharmacy benefit managers.
When we read about how much we could save if we were to change our healthcare system, it’s always huge numbers in the billions.
But what we really want to know is –
How much would California Medicare for All cost. . . me?
Medicare for All gets a bad rap mainly due to the belief that it would cost a lot. After all, health insurance already costs a lot.
By the time we expand what’s covered (including all medically necessary care) and cover everybody (instead of leaving over 2.5 million Californians uninsured), it’s got to cost more. Right?
No. In fact, most people would save money (except for the ultra-high earners).
That sounds good, but really, how much would it cost?
Hang on, there’s a calculator for that!
For most people who earn less than $300,000 a year, the net annual savings are usually thousands of dollars.
Click here:
California Medicare for All Savings Calculator
The calculator is completely free. It will help you quickly find out how much money you will save when we win a Medicare for All-type, unified healthcare system in California.
It only takes 3 to 5 minutes to enter your current health spending and income.
Where did this calculator come from?
It was developed by a technical team headed up by James G. Kahn, MD/MPH, who is an expert in health economics and emeritus professor at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California San Francisco.
The calculations are based on data from the proceedings of Governor Newsom’s Healthy California for All Commission. Default values are estimated using data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Can this calculator be trusted?
It was developed by a person who is not part of the healthcare industry. He does not stand to make any money should we keep or change our health care system.
He is not making any money from the calculator, or from teaching people about Medicare for All.
Dr. Kahn is an economist, not an insurance company employee or insurance agent
But judge for yourself.
Check out this video of Dr. Kahn, in which he explains why he developed the calculator.
VIDEO LINK
If I would save so much money, why do I keep hearing
that Medicare for All would cost too much?
Great question.
Even though numerous studies show Medicare for All would save the U.S. billions of dollars each year, healthcare corporations are trying to scare us by saying our taxes would go up.
And that’s true. If we are not going to pay premiums and deductibles anymore, we will have to pay for our healthcare in some other way.
But paying through taxes will cost you less – much less – than you are currently paying in premiums and deductibles. And taxes are the fairest way to pay, because the costs will be tied to your income. The more you earn, the more you pay.
So, would California Medicare for All cost billions, or save billions?
Governor Newsom’s Healthy California for All Commission found that over ten years, publicly funded, guaranteed health care could save Californians $500 billion and more than 40,000 lives.
How are these huge savings possible?
Great question.
The savings would come from reducing administrative costs, negotiating prescription drug prices and eliminating unnecessary corporate costs like executive compensation, claims-denial departments, expensive marketing costs, brokerage commissions and shareholder dividends. Remember, none of these expenses do anything for your health!
So you should really be asking:
“What would I do with an extra $5,000 a year?”
Family vacation? New car? Retirement? It’s up to you.
Medicare for All represents new hope for Californians
today and for generations to come.
Let’s make it happen!
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HEAL California is an independent news and information hub focused on the Medicare for All movement.
With non-partisan news, views, podcasts and videos, we highlight the on-going injustices of our broken healthcare system and amplify the voices of those who are most impacted by it.
Our Podcasts shine a light on the failures of America’s healthcare system, while explaining how Medicare for All could help.
Our Media page offers connections to experts and additional resources including links to legislation and studies.
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