One of the hot button issues this coming Presidential election is the topic of single-payer health care. This has been a widely discussed topic for years, but it seems that it has grown in popularity over the last several years, and according to the buzz from Democratic Presidential debates, it seems to be a lot more widely accepted right now than it ever has been in the past.
But is this good or bad for our elderly loved ones?
In a way, we already have a single-payer system in our country. That’s exactly what Medicare is. Designed for older adults and those with disabilities, Medicare is a health insurance plan that covers basic healthcare needs for a low cost. Basic care is even covered at no cost for some things.
Even the this framework is already in place, it’s a major transition to go from Medicare for some to Medicare for all, like many of the nominees support. That’s not to say that it’s good or bad, just that it is not as easy as some make it sound. One big question that still needs to be answered is how will this be paid for? If this question is not answered with confidence, those with little or no earning power (like the elderly) will be placed in a dangerous situation when care becomes more difficult to find.
Can such a system work? Of course! But there are also a lot of moral questions that need to be answered. Is it a stranger’s responsibility to fund someone else’s care even if they never need it themselves? Taxes already do this is a way, but a single-payer system would exacerbate the severity of this situation.
Ultimately, a single-payer care system could be helpful. It really depends on how it is implemented, how the funding for such a system would be structured, and how it was maintained and paid for in subsequent years. There’s a lot of room for growth in the care industry, and if such a system were to be rolled out in an ideal manner, people could benefit under it. Yes, there are some moral and political questions that need to be answered, regardless of what side of the aisle you find yourself on. However, everyone can agree that the elderly deserve better care. That’s not a political statement, but rather a human one. Hopefully, this renewed debate will help to bring focus to improving senior care as a whole, regardless of what the politicians decide is best.
Before any changes are made to the existing healthcare system, we need to understand that they will have the biggest impact on the very young and the very old. It’s important to consider how these groups will be affected, and then ensure that there are safeguards in place to protect them if things do not go perfectly according to plan. That’s why having strong senior care advocates on your side is so important. Things change on a day to day basis, and knowing what to look out for and how to help the people that we love will help ensure that they receive a higher overall quality of care.
Leave a Reply