cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/11610908

The right-wing policy agenda written for a new Donald Trump presidency would “greatly accelerate” efforts to privatize Medicare

Last year, for the first time ever, a majority of Americans eligible for Medicare were on privatized Medicare Advantage plans. If Republicans win the presidential race this year, the push to fully privatize Medicare, the government health insurance program for seniors and people with disabilities, will only intensify.

Conservative operatives have already sketched out what the GOP’s policy agenda would look like in the early days of a new Donald Trump presidency. As Rolling Stone has detailed, the proposed Project 2025 agenda is radically right-wing. One item buried in the 887-page blueprint has attracted little attention thus far, but would have a monumental impact on the health of America’s seniors and the future of one of America’s most popular social programs: a call to “make Medicare Advantage the default enrollment option” for people who are newly eligible for Medicare.

Such a policy would hasten the end of the traditional Medicare program, as well as its foundational premise: that seniors can go to any doctor or provider they choose. The change would be a boon for private health insurers — which generate massive profits and growing portions of their revenues from Medicare Advantage plans — and further consolidate corporate control over the United States health care system.

  • admiralteal@kbin.social
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    10 months ago

    This is unintentional revisionist history. Yes, there was a trifecta, but it was never a supermajority.

    He had 60 senators on paper for like, a month. And there was at least some Dem senator out of commission that entire time. So even the paper supermajority wasn’t real. Not to mention that the 60 caucusing Dems had diverse views and opinions about things. There were MANY issues that lacked consensus support. Even Obama didn’t have the full-on fealty of his base. And that’s not to even get into the herd of cats that is the dems in the House of Reps.

    • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      Sounds like they’re incompetent and incapable of governing, then. Sounds like a bunch of excuses instead of what me and my family need to thrive and be safe.