Unrealistic, Impractical, Utopian Health Care Reform Plans

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While we’re talking about unrealistic, impractical, utopian health care reform plans, I should mention that Brad Delong has offered up his own. Yglesias summarizes:

1. Taxes on public health hazards (booze, sweeteners, etc.)

2. An army of publicly employed doctors and nurses working in clinics and vans and such roaming the country dispensing preventive care and lifestyle advice to all and sundry.

3. 15 percent of your income is automatically plunked into a Health Savings Account.

4. When you want health care services that aren’t covered by the clinics, you pay out of your HSA.

5. If there’s money left in your HSA at the end of the year, it gets plunked into your IRA unless you specifically fill in an opt-out form.

6. If you run out of money in your HSA and need more health care, the government pays for it.

7. On top of the 15 percent HSA deduction, there’s a 5 percent tax to pay for 6.

Have your own plans? Leave them in the comments.

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“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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