I very much believe in health care for everyone, but do not believe that Medicare for All would work. There will be terrible lobbying by the drug and medical device companies, as well as the health insurance companies. I agree with Representative Seth Moulton that keeping and expanding the Affordable Health Care Act, allowing a choice of good insurance plans, as was in the Public Option, and allowing a buy-in for Medicare is the way to go. Medicare for all would greatly reduce the money paid to hospitals and doctors and I don't see the U.S. bureaucracy being able to administer a health care plan for all, as is done in other countries.
One thing that can be done right away to reduce health care costs is for Medicare to be able to negotiate drug prices, as the VA does. The drug companies are making obscene amounts of money. Last year they made 69 BILLION dollars. Yet one in five individuals in the U.S. cannot afford their medications. Our mental health care in the U.S. is very bad. Rep. Moulton, an Iraq war veteran, says that 50 % of veterans have PTSD, as he did, and yet most do not get mental health help. My brother was one of those after the Second World War. It changed his life. Rep. Moulton says that two weeks after discharge a veteran should have a mental health check-up and then annually. He also suggests this as part of yearly physicals for kids, but because pediatric care in many places has become so inadequate, I don't see this as happening. We have get resources in this country, and some excellent doctors, but money seems to the real problem now with our medical system, as well as lots of greed.