EDITORIAL: Medicare for more

Dec. 13--Washington is on fire these days, burning with political heat that incinerates individuals and ideas, often without giving a thought to their merits. In that searing environment, there is a risk that Rep. Brian Higgins' proposal to expand Medicare will be subsumed in the arguments devouring more comprehensive -- and unworkable -- proposals known as "Medicare for All." That would be a mistake.

For starters and to be clear, that's not what Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, is pushing. His is a creative plan that would provide health insurance to an underserved segment of the population without adding any notable costs to the public books.

By contrast, the "Medicare for All" plans proposed by some Democrats would create a single-payer health care system, replacing private insurance with a government program. Such a system is in place in other countries, including Canada.

It won't work here -- not now, anyway. Given such a program's costs, the raging budget deficit and political opposition, it's a nonstarter. Even Warren had trouble explaining how she would pay for it and has pushed its theoretical implementation into the third year of a prospective presidency.

Higgins' plan is more limited, medically valuable and without public expense. It is also eminently doable, if Washington's political gladiators, in and out of office, will put down their flails and spears and actually consider its merits.

His idea is to open Medicare to Americans between ages 50 and 64, instead of just those 65 or older. It would be voluntary. Those new subscribers would pay the full price of the plan, thus covering government costs, which would nevertheless run some 40% less than private insurance. The age group is significant: Many in it struggle with preexisting conditions that drive up the costs of premiums and even those who are generally healthy can pay far more for insurance than younger people.

Higgins, who first proposed this expansion in 2017, pitched it at a congressional hearing this week. Among its benefits is that Medicare is already broadly popular; Americans don't need to be convinced of its benefits. What is more, it carries extremely low administrative costs -- about 1.3% of total costs of traditional Medicare.

Part of the problem of enacting any health care program in this country is overcoming the dangerously false notion that health care is not a legitimate public issue. It is. Untreated diabetes drives up health care costs for all Americans. So do the consequences of smoking, excessive drinking and other drug use. We already pay for all of that.

What is more, obesity has become a national security issue. Too many Americans are too fat to serve, according to a study produced by a group of the nation's former military leaders.

Higgins' plan won't solve all of these issues, but it will be socially and medically valuable while serving an at-risk population at no additional public cost. There is every reason to give it serious consideration and to be sure it doesn't become conflated with other, more expansive plans that won't go anywhere any time soon.

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