Experts Warn Medicare for All Could Double or Triple Federal Taxes

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 11

Michael Cannon and Ed Haislmaier said Democratic Medicare-for-all plans would overhaul financing, provider pay and private insurance far beyond the current U.S. Medicare program.
Cannon argued the biggest trade-off is fiscal: shifting most health spending onto the federal ledger could require doubling or tripling taxes even if some premiums and employer costs disappear.
Provider payments are the other pressure point, they said, because expanding government-set rates to far more patients could push some hospitals and physicians to limit participation and worsen access.
Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan Democratic Senate candidate, defended the idea by saying workers could pay more in taxes instead of insurance premiums for coverage that would not depend on employment.
The experts also criticized the current U.S. system and Republicans, arguing healthcare already has heavy government involvement and that competition and patient-controlled spending would better address costs.