My mother and sister report that dental, vision, hearing aids, and prescriptions are not covered. Plus there is private supplemental insurance, as noted upthread. So Bernie is in fact planning to offer something that does not exist there, and probably not anywhere. It’s important to remember that he is really more interested in sticking it to insurance companies than in just giving people health coverage. And as long as Elizabeth Warren does not deviate with her own plan, that is what she is stuck with as well.
Good point. Yet another reason why the Laffer curve is completely stupid.
I said right up front that the American voters who are decisive in national elections are not great people. But we have to curry favor with them to win even if it is nauseating. Would you prefer to just be pure and lose? How many people get healthcare that way?
And if you think swing voters are not as shitty and selfish as that, look again at the poll numbers I linked. Only 26% would support MFA if it would “lead to delays in some people getting certain medical tests and treatments”. 26% is actually a large number of people. Many tens of millions, and I’m sure you are one of them. But it’s not enough to keep from giving completely shellacked by the Republicans in the election—in which case you end up without half a loaf, or even a crumb of a loaf.
Fortunately, candidates don’t have to honestly and sincerely appeal to such voters. Doing so dishonestly and insincerely is fine as long as it gets the job done.