Single Payer Inquiry

[Tauntaun]

I am an Emory Physician Assistant Student and a member of Students for a National Health Program campaign. As a future healthcare professional, I am concerned about the health disparities in our country and advocating for a single health care system. I am asking questions to gain a perspective of current PAs who have experienced the challenges of working in the field.

How would a single payer healthcare system would impact our profession?

How would it impact our care that we provide to our patients?

Any insight would be helpful. 

Thank you.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

How would you pay for it, realistically? I’m not sure that you can fully appreciate how messed up things are till you’ve actually experienced it from a provider perspective. Most insulated field for PA’s I would think is either EM or a cash only setting (cosmetic surgery, etc.).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[iconic]

7 hours ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

How would you pay for it, realistically? I’m not sure that you can fully appreciate how messed up things are till you’ve actually experienced it from a provider perspective. Most insulated field for PA’s I would think is either EM or a cash only setting (cosmetic surgery, etc.).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 You’d pay for it the same way every Western country pays for it 

[Tauntaun]

The organization I am with is using a model for Medicare for All for a single payer system. I am curious what the thoughts were of providers in the field would think it would impact them, positive or negative? I worked in the VA system prior to PA school and that is a similar type of system and it had its advantages and disadvantages. Overall, I found it a better place to work in providing care in that system versus public healthcare systems. Just wanted to see peoples' perspectives. 

Thank you. 

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

15 hours ago, iconic said:

 You’d pay for it the same way every Western country pays for it 

Our demographics are not the same as other Western countries.  I would like for someone to provide a rationale way to cover expenses for such a plan, without placing undo delays on needed care.  I'm not saying that in a perfect world it wouldn't be an ideal solution, I'd just like to cover the cost.  Here is an example of what I'm talking about, national sales tax collected at the state level (yes, a consumption tax)? How about increasing the employment tax on Medicare from 1.45% to whatever percentage is needed (what percentage WOULD be needed?) to provide a "Medicare for All" plan?

Edited June 22, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess

[iconic]

2 hours ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

Our demographics are not the same as other Western countries.  I would like for someone to provide a rationale way to cover expenses for such a plan, without placing undo delays on needed care.  I'm not saying that in a perfect world it wouldn't be an ideal solution, I'd just like to cover the cost.  Here is an example of what I'm talking about, national sales tax collected at the state level (yes, a consumption tax)? How about increasing the employment tax on Medicare from 1.45% to whatever percentage is needed (what percentage WOULD be needed?) to provide a "Medicare for All" plan?

What do you mean by demographics - do you mean we are more racially diverse? I think the most importance factor affecting cost is the number of the elderly and both Japan and Germany have far more older retired people than we do

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Our population base is larger, old in general, and the number of those working is dropping.  A not insignificant portion of the U.S. population is solely reliable upon the gov't for financial support.

[Guest thatgirlonabike]

I think it would be a boon for our profession.  The most important basic concept of healthcare for all is accessible preventable care.  We save money in this system by keeping patients from getting sick instead of the current paradigm of not treating anyone until they are sick.  As of now medicine is a money  maker.  It certainly doesn't pay to provide comprehensive preventative care because you get more money when patients stay sick.  You want to know why ERs are overcrowded?  CEOs don't want that to change because the low-acuity calls are what make the $$$$.   You know how hard it is to implement a program that diverts patients from the ER to alternate destinations.  Damn near impossible.  That's just the one example that I have because it's near and dear to my heart. 

And who will be there to provide all of this affordable, money saving, imperative primary care? Why we PAs of course. 

[Guest thatgirlonabike]

On 6/21/2020 at 12:28 PM, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

How would you pay for it, realistically? I’m not sure that you can fully appreciate how messed up things are till you’ve actually experienced it from a provider perspective. Most insulated field for PA’s I would think is either EM or a cash only setting (cosmetic surgery, etc.).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 You pay for it in prevention.  You pay for it in the ability to negotiate with big pharma.  You pay for it in the money you save without the motivation to keep people sick.  You pay for it out of taxes from your large paycheck that you get because your employer is no longer responsible for paying part of your insurance.