The article doesn't state explicitly, but I guess this new decree changes the qualifying rules. For example, that even if you have private insurance, you can still access public healthcare facilities.
I don't see how this is going to work unless they also improve the resources to the public facilities.
If I could make universal healthcare in the US it would be something like: - free generic meds where there are at least 3 independent low cost providers. - free ai diagnostic tools - tax breaks on healthcare spending - catastrophic insurance @ fixed prices for various diseases (eg if you get colon cancer you get $30,000 for treatments. Basically whatever the low end of reasonable is, to invent you to price shop etc.). These numbers should keep being adjusted down over time as people get more efficient at treating. - maybe up to $400 per year on various preventative tests.
And remove most other regulations on healthcare (including banning employer insurance).
If the government provided this, the cost for private healthcare would plummet. People would have free access to diagnostic and drugs better than anything you had 20 years ago (2006). Which is pretty incredible!
And… what if its not enough?
But yeah, extreme inefficiency and inflated costs due to poor regulation seems like the main issue in the US.
It’s not however obvious that less regulation would solve that, i.e. you have countries like Switzerland or the Netherlands with entirely privatised healthcare (more so than in the US) yet they have quite strict regulation and price controls and are doing just fine.
Nobody who relies on Medicare would say that. The people who say it want a fantasy Medicare that doesn't exist.
https://www.medicare.gov/providers-services/original-medicar...
Some of the items and services Medicare doesn’t cover include:
Eye exams (for prescription eyeglasses)
Long-term care
Cosmetic surgery
Massage therapy
Routine physical exams
Hearing aids and exams for fitting them
Most dental care: In most cases, Original Medicare doesn't cover dental services like routine cleanings, filings, tooth extractions, or items like dentures.That joke was told by the many tens of thousands of US expats living in Mexico, and those coming down for dental, doctors and prescriptions
A great counterexample would be the USA — which despite the highest global expenditure, per citizien, has among the lowest life expectancies / healthcare outcomes.