The programs passed by congress in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was craziness.  Not one Republican vote for it! 'Obamacare must be repealed and replaced! And now, the crazy Democrats want to provide something called "Medicare for All", which will mean Medicare for no one. We must continue to stand up to these crazy programs and only accept something which makes sense and coordinates with our current insurance culture and NOT accept an insurance program run by the government.  The waste and control will be unprecedented, even in comparison with all of the other crazy programs put in place during the last Administration!  Now, when it counts the REPUBLICANS DO NOTHING!!! SHAME, SHAME, SHAME....I would rather propose:

National Healthcare Coverage to be bid upon by all major national US healthcare providers

–      Basic Care will be an HMO type program, with coverage modeled after Medicare..

–      Up to 20 Companies can share a national contract (with costs for differing regions of the country)

–      Companies to offer insurance to the public nationwide will be selected based on per person cost for their region plus an annual management fee

–      All finalists will get the lowest per person cost (based on a person 45 years old) and annual management fee for each region set by the lowest bidder

–      Low management fee bidder gets the percentage of the business they choose, up to 40%, based on bid vs. other 19 finalists.  The other finalists divide the remainder of business equally if they so choose

–      Only US Citizens and legal registered immigrants can purchase coverage

–      Consumer Cost (indexed to inflation, based on Social Security escalators) will be the lowest per person cost in their region plus the management fee noted above.  Special rates apply for lower income citizens as follows: 

•       $200/mo. single, if taxable earnings are < $40,000/yr. 

•       $350/mo. person and spouse, if family taxable earnings are < $40,000/yr

•       $500/month for a family, if family taxable earnings are < $40,000/yr

–      Enrollment opens each year in October for coverage to begin January 1 the following year.

–      Basic Coverage:

•       No copay in-network, $50 copay on out-of-network or specialists

•       Plan pays 80% of cost of any service or treatment, in hospital or out of hospital (other than a doctor visit) up to ‘out of pocket costs’ of $2,000/year per person, or a max of $6,000/per year per family, then the plan pays 95%.  The annual maximum’s are indexed to inflation, based on Social Security escalators

•       $5 copay on generic drugs, $25 copay on brand names, 20% of cost of ‘special’ pharmaceuticals 

 •       Once you sign up, you are in for as long as you wish

 •       Pay no premium for 3 consecutive months, you are out of the coverage for 3 years  

 •       Premium cost will be based on a target citizen 45 years old, depending on your age, your premium will be 1% lower for each year you are younger than 45 and 1% higher for each year you are older than 45 years old.

–     Private insurance companies may sell, and are encouraged to sell, insurance throughout the US with no restrictions.  States can not usurp this right to sell across state lines

–     Current Cobra laws stay in effect, except that Cobra Benefits do not expire. If an employee wants to keep, and pay for, previous company provided insurance coverage they may.  As the company's coverage and costs change, so does the person’s Cobra coverage and costs.  If the person is employed, the person may keep the Cobra or switch to the new employer’s insurance, or the national program. If keeping the Cobra, the new employer will reimburse the employee an amount equal to the Cobra cost up to the amount the employer pays for employee insurance in their program. 

–    Once you sign up, you are in for as long as you wish as long as you pay your premiums 

–    If you pay no premium for 3 consecutive months, you are out for 3 years - there is no 'free ride'

-  Companies may sell 'supplemental insurance' to cover the other 20% of service costs, better prescription plans, lower overall 'out of pocket' costs, dental coverage, etc....