Ask Lemmy

Expand Medicare. It is already in place.

People need to vote.

If all the eligible people voted in the US, we could have universal healthcare in a year. Biden needs a super majority in both Houses.

Move to Europe

Removing the 37 middle men between the docs and the patients would be a good start.

First you do Universal Pet Health, which you push by just talking about how good it would be for dogs and ranch families.

Then you talk about how silly it is that we have UPH, but not UBH, especially when UBH would help with our nation's combat readiness.

What are the steps / methods most likely to get us there?

The steps others have already successfully taken in other countries. Even when the contexts are different, there is often something to be learnt by looking at previous battles.

Some starting points:

• Brief universal healthcare history overview. I think it's also interesting to see that most countries started picking up adoption after WW2.
• I think it's also worthwhile looking to the people who have been watching the topic for a very long time, like the UN's International Labor Organization who will have a more in depth understanding of the issues and problems.

There are other sources of data in this international comparison but I think ultimately it's about looking at this graph and figuring out what the biggest policy differences are: Health System Comparison OECD life expectancy vs cost

Some sort of strike. Either a general labor strike, or a debt strike. A general strike of laborers will be hard to organize, and there will always be scabs.

But a debt strike ia easier. Although I should probably say "Bill strike". It goes like this: don't pay four or five figure medical bills. Just put them in the shredder. If a significant portion of the population does this, it will force change. Just like the courts getting backed up because there were too many evictions, they will get backed up by all the wage garnishment cases that I'm sure someone is typing a reply about. If nobody pays, there isn't much of a way to enforce it.

Revolution, probably. We are too oppressed by the ruling class.

State level systems. Some Canadian provinces had universal healthcare before Canada had it nationwide.

Take example from France's social security system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_security_in_France

"All" is an awfully large group - perhaps start with "some", e.g. "all in Maine" (and likely some subset of that even, like those who have lived there for 5+ years already, to avoid someone getting cancer first, then suddenly moving to Maine, then once the expensive treatments are over with go back home, etc.), and then if people enjoy seeing it be done well, expand our from there. I dunno... it's a thought, at least.

Gotta convince the voters around you. Talk to your coworkers, friends, etc. Be prepared to receive pushback, and a lot of ignorance, but occasionally, people that are trying to zoom out on the problems they're seeing. I used to lean pretty right, but it wasn't the Michael Moore types that brought me around; it was the Bertrand Russell types. People are plenty smart, but often need help connecting the dots. If you are condescending, you'll get resistance. If you show them the right direction, they'll find their own path, naturally.

In the U.S. seems like we're a long way from that

Not just a long way. No visible way at all.

You need to fix your political landscape first, for example have > 2 parties, and have other than these two ultra conservative parties. Only then will you be able to make significant changes in your country.

First step would probably be to decouple healthcare from being company, so people realize how expensive their health plans are and how much they pay for stuff most people don't end up needing. Pretty sure for most people it's more expensive than their single yearly checkup would be out of pocket.

Then, make state-wide and state-owned insurance plans that are capped in profits, so the rates have to match the true cost of things.

Let it simmer for a bit, get people to get used to the idea that the government provided service is actually good and cheaper for once.

Then make it mandatory for every state resident to be covered by it.

The big problem with universal healthcare in the US is the strong individualistic mindset, those that go "but I don't want to pay for other people's hospital bills". Ease all those people that think they'll suddenly be paying way more to subsidize other people's health care into realizing it ends up cheaper because the costs are amortized over way more people. It needs to be spun up as a benefit to them, they're getting a better deal on their health insurance. Because they simply don't care about other people's problems.

One thing that struck me living in the US is just how much distrust there is for anything government operated, even though it's usually the companies they love so much that nickel and dime them. Although seeing how the politics are going right now, I kind of understand that sentiment. And pretty much every company does try to squeeze you out of your money, which makes people want to screw the companies over. Land of the fees.

Massive unemployment.

Bipartisan collaboration for a public option that provides everything that the AMA says is necessary.

The biggest step is breaking the taboo on bipartisanism

1. Train a lot more doctors.

A more lethal pandemic than Covid 19 would be a faster track.

Get all the people you want to have universal health care, to want universal health care. If you want it for them, sell it to them.

The only thing ever stopping any policy from existing is vote counts. Convince others that universal healthcare is in their best interests. If you've tried that and failed, take steps to improve your communication skill and try again.