Medicare for All ?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four

The Beatles

What a great Beatles comment to kick off a difficult topic to cover on this post.  Why difficult?  Well for several  reasons

1. First the topic is in some ways connected to what I touched on in "senior discounts"  that drew some interesting dialogue. Now I will be confront all of us seniors on a more serious entitlement issue.
2.  When talking about "caring" for our fellow citizens, friends, relatives and even and one's self,  the topic can be very personal.
3. As one who believes in limited government can I watch people I am close to and care for suffer because of my concerns for future generations.
4. Can any of us think rationally about abstract ideas versus personal realities.

A couple of weeks ago a good friend of ours in Stowe was describing the cost of his prescription medications (which could be a whole other topic).  He has suffered a great deal recently, losing a son and having his partner battle breast cancer.  He was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and is on hormone therapy which has not only been successful in extending his life for several years but has also helped to maintain the quality of his life as well.   Until recently he skied and played golf, even though he is past 80!  However, hormone therapy is not a cure, and it now showing signs of  ineffectiveness.  His ultimate outcome is inevitable but honestly so are all of our outcomes.  But there is no doubt if I were in his shoes I would likely taken the exact steps he has to extend meaningful life.

Now the flip side, while discussing his therapy he mentioned the cocktail of drugs enabling him to carry on runs about $8,000 per month.  This naturally led to a discussion about healthcare for all which he and his wife supported, using there own experiences as an example.  When you are in such a conversation.....how do you even begin to discuss "affordability" when public funds are paying almost $100,000 per year (just for drugs) to keep your over 80 plus year old friend  not just alive but active?  The answer is you nod, shut up, and eat your dinner.

That dinner "non" conversation got tucked away in my head but was "rekindled" when fellow blogger John Delnegro sent me an article about the Massachusetts legislature passing a measure that would tax employer's to fund universal 6 month family leave for new parents of working people in his Commonwealth.  While in theory the measure will be self funding ( so was medicare) I agreed with his thoughts about how it might impact families "negatively" in the long run, thoughts I may discuss in some future blog.  However it made me think about how we have turned "topsy turvy" on our spending "priorities".  Spending huge sums of money, we have not funded, on a generation that is about to leave, and leaving the bill to those infant's and cohorts who frankly are societies future hope.

Many of you likely think, Huh?-"Topsy Turvy" Jim? I paid my fair share into to SS and Medicare so I could be secure in my old age!

Now I am aware that the financial resources of those reading this blog varies significantly as does their state of health and family resources.  Most of you are seniors.  Furthermore all of us seniors have planned our retirements with SS and Medicare in mind and there is no real alternative "post facto" way to catch up for most.   I have heard the arguments from many fellow seniors that "we put money in" and that "promises were made" but In my mind this is generationally self serving and in a way a cop out.  Unfortunately that mindset has been firmly set in our society, and has now been passed down in spades to our progeny.  

The fact is as a generation we did not put enough money away to fulfill  these "promises" to ourselves.  We were simply going to use a giant credit card, die, then pass the bill along to the kids.   We are have passed on another thing to our kids in the process the idea that we are all entitled to spend whatever it costs to keep us alive and healthy in our "retirement".   Is there any wonder why more and more young people are attracted to Universal Health Care and Medicare for all?    Our generation perfected the art of "creative accounting"  and the social concept that everyone is entitled to be kept alive at whatever it costs.  Collectively we accepted all kinds of financial assumptions, virtually all unrealistic.  One of the biggest assumptions was a growing population and then most of us did not even contribute demographically enough "kids" to foot the bill.   I admit I lived in the same glass house.

For years now we consistently voted for increased entitlements but all along we really knew that we would end up leaving the buffet before paying the bill.  So now what?  Many politicians want to open the buffet to even more!  

Our sense of entitlement has been passed on in spades.  Many young people (and a few older as well) talk about universal healthcare, free college, free day care and on it goes.  We boomers need to look in the mirror whenever we complain about the candidates running for office. Directly or indirectly they are products of our creation.  Both Democrats and Republicans bear responsibility.  Hey for sure Warren and Bernie are great examples of left wing lunacy but please, our current President went to Florida to talk about how great Medicare is!

Republicans continue to hide behind "fiscal responsibility", while they fail to really address costs where needed to get votes, they cut taxes ....to get votes.

Democrats on the other hand want to spend trillions we don't have buy raising taxes  to an ungodly amount to in theory "pay for it" (it won't)....to get votes.

Face it tough love can work both ways.  Maybe we seniors need to begin to address this by looking at some tough self love, with less spending on those on the way out so we can help future generations pay the cost.  I understand all too well that this is a difficult question...after all we still are on huge bloc of voters with a very "vested interest" in the status quo.  Remember that ad that showed "granny" being pushed of a cliff in a wheelchair, and the idea of "death panels"?  In this environment these are unlikely winning platforms.  However, somehow some way something has to give.  Our National credit card ultimately has limits.

This blog has taken weeks to get published because frankly I see no "easy way" out.  Perhaps some of you differ, or have some thoughts of your own.  I promise any opinion is welcome.

With that  I bid you

Adieu

PS I wrote this weeks ago but have been reluctant to publish because I have no "recommendation" , however if i don't "publish" I'll never move on to more pleasant thoughts,

PSS Thanks John for asking "Where has Murray Been".  It forced my to sh--t or get off the pot