Sen. Grassley: Medicare for All – Medicare for None

WASHINGTON, April 10 -- Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following column:

Democrats are releasing their plans to effectively eliminate private health insurance in favor of a national, single-payer system that would take away personal choice and freedom -- further expanding Washington's control over Americans' health care decisions. The Democrat plan would make private and employer-sponsored health coverage illegal, forcing Americans into a one-size-fits-all, government-run health care program.

Americans are not "one size fits all" - their health care shouldn't be either.

Under the Democrat plan:

* 181 million American workers would be kicked off their private health insurance that they have today, like, and want to keep;

* Spending would increase by approximately $32 trillion over 10 years placing unprecedented strain on the Federal budget and the American taxpayer;

* Taxes on the middle class would have to be raised significantly in order to pay for so much new spending;

* Americans would experience disruptions in the availability and accessibility of health care services;

* Younger, working-aged adults - people who haven't paid their fair share into the program - would be allowed to access Medicare benefits early, jeopardizing the long-term sustainability and affordability of a safety-net program designed to care for seniors and the disabled; and

* All Americans, including those with pre-existing, chronic health conditions, would face increased wait times to receive needed medical care.

"Medicare for All" is bad for Americans

Democrats don't want to put in the hard work to find solutions to our nation's health care challenges. "Medicare for All" is their "quick fix." The plan only serves to give the federal government even more control over our personal health care choices. That includes deciding what specialized medical procedures, prescription drug therapies, and medical device innovations we're allowed to receive - similar to those imposed in the United Kingdom and Canada under a single-payer health care system.

"Medicare for All" decreases the quality of care and takes away Americans' freedom to choose what health care options are best for them while forcing them to pay more for less.

No Way to Pay

Democrats have no way to pay for "Medicare for All's" multi-trillion dollar price tag. That means the exorbitant cost of "Medicare for All" would be forced on middle class and lower-income Americans through massive, unaffordable tax hikes.

Even in more liberal states like Vermont and California, voters largely rejected government-run health care due to its high cost and lack of personal freedom.

Nearly 59 million Americans currently depend on Medicare, a program that will be bankrupt by 2026 and unable to pay out full benefits to seniors and the disabled. Instead of working to protect Medicare benefits for seniors who rely on the program today and preserve it for future generations, "Medicare for All" would destroy the existing safety net and fail to keep the health care promises made to Americans at or near retirement age.

Declining Support for "Medicare for All"

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 56 percent of Americans support "Medicare for All" until they learn what it actually means for them. Support for the plan dropped to 37 percent after they learned it would eliminate all private health insurance plans or raise their taxes. Support dropped even lower to 26 percent after they learned it would lead to delayed testing and treatments.