This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 1358, Health in America, part one.
Why do some Americans want Medicare for all?
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We believe in connection not perfection with your american host, lindsay mcmahon, the english adventurer, and michelle kaplan, the new york radio girl, coming to you from los angeles and New York City, USA.
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Today, we answer a student question.
What is the viewpoint of Americans on Medicare for all?
And how can we survive with such uncertainty around healthcare?
Today is part one in a two-part series that was recorded before the coronavirus became a serious issue.
Listen in for our perspectives on healthcare in America today.
This episode was recorded a few weeks in advance.
Our understanding of the COVID-19 situation has changed since then.
We hope you are healthy and safe.
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Hey, Lindsay, how's it going?
Awesome, Michelle.
I'm good.
It's been quite a springtime, this whole whirlwind thing we've had with coronavirus.
Guys, we are recording in the middle of March.
So by the time this comes out, we actually don't know what is going to be happening with that.
But healthcare is such a buzzword right now in the US with politics, right?
Yeah, definitely.
So I mean, at this point, again, we don't know really what will have happened right now.
It's Joe Biden versus Bernie Sanders versus randomly Tulsi Gabbard.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
That's random.
Random.
Okay.
Anyway, but yeah.
So at this point, that's what it is.
And Bernie Sanders has announced that he is not leaving the race, although he is losing currently.
We'll see what happens by May 4th.
We should know a lot more.
So let's see.
But Lindsay, I mean we are going to talk about health care today, which is kind of a sticky, confusing subject, but we are going to do it.
But I have a question for you.
Yes.
Yes.
Please ask.
Are you satisfied with your health care plan?
Yes.
Yeah.
You know, when I lived in Boston I was on the.
I was actually on the.
You know the state plan because you know I don't work for a large company.
So because of Obamacare, I was able to buy into the exchanges.
And Boston actually has the best, some of the best medical care in the country the hospitals, MGH hospitals.
Brigham and Women, some of the best hospitals in the whole country.
And I felt like I got really good health care there.
Now that I'm in Colorado, I had to buy into the state exchange here.
And knock on wood, I haven't had to try it out much yet.
But I don't have 100% confidence in my healthcare plan.
So if that's what you're asking, I don't know.
I don't feel 100% confident that it would pay for what I needed it to if I had a problem.
Yeah, unfortunately.
What about you?
Yeah.
I'm satisfied in the way that I know that I can get covered for a lot of things, but not everything.
Like, of course, when I was pregnant, the doctor I really wanted was out of network.
Yeah, yeah.
So, you know, you have to make decisions based on that.
And it's kind of like, how am I paying so much money for insurance that I can't?
Yeah.
You know, choose this one doctor.
And so that was frustrating.
And my I have an insanely high deductible.
And, you know, it's just expensive.
It's unbelievable how expensive it is, but it's cheaper than the alternative.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
So, I mean, insurance in the U.S. is.
Oh, it's a tough one.
It is very confusing.
Do you think it's confusing, Lindsay, or is it just me?
Yeah, I mean, I think in two words, it's complex and controversial.
Complex and controversial because there are two sides to this, right?
There's always two sides to every issue.
And we want to try to get to know both sides of the debate.
But very controversial, very heated topic, especially right now.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I mean, like whenever I have to call my insurance company to ask a question, I have this huge pit in my stomach because I know that there's going to be all this jargon that's going to confuse me more and I may not get a straight answer.
And you're kind of like, yeah. when you get off the phone.
I mean I'm glad I don't have to be the one taking those calls from the insurance company and denying people coverage.
That would be really hard.
I mean, that reminds me actually, guys, to set the stage today for today's topic.
Back in the day, back in I think 2000 something, The movie Sicko came out.
It's a documentary by Michael Moore.
Now, that's a very one-sided documentary.
Okay, very one-sided, very biased, but it does bring up the side arguing for universal health care.
It was released in 2007.
Check it out if you get a chance.
It's a good one.
It's a good one.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
I'll have to watch that.
Yeah.
So guys, we're talking about this because we have a question from a listener about healthcare in the US.
Lindsay, would you read the question for us?
Yeah, I'm really glad our listener Ricardo asked this question.
He said, what about an episode about healthcare in the US?
As a Western European, it boggles my mind how the richest country in the world cannot take care of its citizens.
Thank you so much.
Also, how do average Americans plan their lives in such a system?
I'd be so stressed that I could barely function if I were in such a predicament.
Thanks again for a marvelous podcast.
Looking forward to the Android app and the course on business English.
Ciao, Ricardo.
Yeah, Ricardo, great question.
And just to answer your side point Android app hopefully is coming in 2020 and the Business English course.
So stay tuned, guys.
Definitely.
I love this question.
I mean, it's a tough one, but we're going to take a crack at it.
Going to take a crack at it.
Which is a good bonus phrase for today.
Yeah.
But yeah also guys, I wanted to mention this is one of those deeper questions discussion episodes where we share a deeper issue.
It's a political issue.
It's a human issue.
And this is something that you are going to want to get our Connected Communicator course.
Because this course, Lindsay takes you all around the US and she talks to all sorts of people, not only people on one side of the political spectrum yeah, but she speaks to uh, people who are.
But did you something with the nra, lindsey?
Did you speak to people in the nra?
Yeah, I went to a gun show because again, I like to see both sides of the issue.
I don't want to just sit in a room with people that believe the same thing as I do and just like rant.
Right.
I want to actually hear the other perspective so I can make my opinion more nuanced.
Right.
So I did go to a gun show and I brought those interviews to you guys through this course.
OK, so, yeah, for sure.
It's very political.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So definitely get that.
So how did they get on the connected communicator course?
Yeah.
So they go to all ears and guys go to allearsenglish.com forward slash connection and sign right up.
You can get the plan, choose the plan you want, and you can get in the Facebook group and get started with lesson one.
Choose the plan you want.
That sounds like health care.
Right.
Yeah.
Getting back into that.
So.
All right.
So let's talk about Bernie Sanders.
So, I mean, what does it mean to be like he said that or his views radical?
Yeah.
I mean, so radical could be on either side, actually.
Right.
So radical just means extremes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But in this case, Bernie Sanders is a radical leftist.
He calls himself a democratic socialist, which I think, based on our history and the way our country was kind of founded and our values, I think the word socialism is a massive red flag for a lot of voters.
A lot of voters just recoil, even at the word socialist.
They just recoil.
And, you know, I can, to some extent, I can understand why they do.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
I mean, and he says, oh, but he's a democratic socialist.
But people just that one word, even if he's saying, you know, wait, wait, wait, you know, I think that, yeah, like you said, people don't don't like to hear that.
But There are, I mean, Bernie Sanders has some good ideas.
This is not a beat down Bernie Sanders episode.
But, you know, we'll get into our opinions more.
Yeah, I mean, I agree with you.
We're not here to beat down any politicians.
We're going to try to tell our story.
And tell you how we feel about the healthcare system.
And anyone you talk to is going to say something different, right?
So we'll give you guys a couple of key words to pay attention to and then talk about what we think you know.
Yeah, definitely.
So Bernie Sanders?
I feel like I always hear Bernie Sanders say this, although other people may say it too.
I always feel like he says something that like health care is a human right and not a privilege.
Have you heard him say that?
Sure.
I mean, he says the same five things in all of his speeches.
He just says the same things.
He doesn't actually give any details.
He doesn't give any.
That was the big issue I had with him.
There are no numbers.
He's not sharing numbers, not sharing data.
How are you going to pay for these things?
There's nothing there from what I've seen.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
What do you think of this, though?
The idea of it being a human right and not a privilege?
So I, yeah, basically that fundamental idea I do agree with, but I struggle with how to pay for it.
So I'm also kind of like a bit more like reasonable and realistic when it comes to politics these days.
Where is the money going to come from?
I do think everyone should have access to health care, but there's a lot that goes into that making that possible.
And I'm not sure that we could actually make it happen.
Yeah.
Right, right, right.
I agree with you.
I agree that it is a human right, though.
And I think it's unfortunate that people are literally dying because they can't pay for things.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
But some key words that we're going to talk about today, guys, are co-pays, right?
So that's something that you have to pay when you go to the doctor.
I don't really know why, but...
Just every time you go, you have to pay a copay.
Yeah.
I mean, it depends on the plan that you're on.
And your copay could be a certain amount for drugs.
It could be a certain amount for x-rays, right?
It just depends on how much you're paying monthly.
And then, yeah.
So then the next one is deductibles.
What is that, Michelle?
What is deductibles?
That's how much you have to pay before healthcare will kick in a certain percent.
So like, for example, if I go to an annual visit just at my doctor for a physical Um that I don't have to pay for.
I'd have to pay for the copay, I believe.
I'm not sure actually, but, um, that wouldn't be, uh, something like that.
That's pretty much covered over.
But if I go to some other random doctor for whatever other reason, that may not be covered.
And so that goes into my deductible.
So let's say my deductible is...
$1,000, something like that.
I have to meet that before insurance will pay a certain amount.
So like if I went to that doctor and it cost $300, insurance will not cover that.
Right, right.
And this makes me think of a bonus phrase for our listeners today before insurance will kick in.
I like the expression kick in.
We'll start to contribute.
We'll start to activate or become activated.
So you would need to pay an additional 700 before you get to that 1000 deductible where those insurance will kick in.
Right.
So confusing.
So and then prescription drugs.
That's an easy one.
That's something that your doctor tells you that you need to take.
And then other terms.
You might hear guys again.
We're talking about these so that you can have these conversations with American people.
Right.
That's the whole point.
This is a launching pad today. for you to go and ask other people what they think about this.
So you can start to complicate your opinion and that's always the goal.
So in network and out of network, what do those things mean, Michelle?
Guys, today's conversation is all about healthcare in the US and worldwide.
This is a deep topic that would be great to start a conversation about in English.
Our course, The Connected Communicator shows you how to get into these deeper topics that you want to talk about in English.
So get started at allearsenglish.com slash connection. allearsenglish.com slash connections.
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So that's basically in the network of your insurance.
So does your doctor take your insurance?
So then you can go to that doctor that's in network and it's going to be cheaper.
Now let's say...
You might have a plan that you cannot go out of network.
They just will not pay.
But some people, I believe, have out of network privileges in which they can go, but it's more expensive.
Yeah.
One thing, so this is an example of where our medical system terrifies me.
I learned that with my insurance, if I need to call an ambulance out of network, I'm going to get stuck with like a 35000 bill.
Ambulance service is like crazy expensive.
And that's not out of network for my coverage.
And so if I ever get hurt, like in skiing, like away from Denver or something, I'm gonna have like a lifelong massive bill.
So yeah, I mean, it can be detrimental to people financially.
For sure, for sure.
Oh my gosh, so scary.
So guys, Bernie Sanders is looked at as radical because it would be a huge change and because it would not leave Americans with a choice, which is something that we're not used to.
Americans, you know, this idea that we can have the freedom to choose, right? whichever it is.
So some candidates were willing to do Medicare for those who want it.
I think Pete Buttigieg would say that for those who want it.
But So if you wanted to be under the Medicare for all plan, you could do that.
But if not, you could keep your private insurance plan or whatever it is.
So Bernie Sanders is saying, no, everyone's going with Medicare for all.
And that's why it's one of the reasons why it's radical.
Yeah, completely.
Completely, Michelle.
And I really like to listen to The Daily because they really really give a lot of nuance to these topics.
And they interviewed, on a recent episode, someone from a union from Las Vegas, a workers union in Las Vegas.
And that particular workers union, they had negotiated a great medical plan, a great insurance plan.
They love their insurance.
And so they didn't want this Medicare for all to come in and take their insurance away, because they felt like the quality would go down.
And it may go down, right?
We don't know.
I start to feel like how could it not go down if we're trying to service that many more people?
How could it not be that the lines will get longer?
Getting an appointment would take nine months to a year.
I'm assuming that would happen, but I don't know, right?
Yeah, we don't know.
There's so much that we don't know.
And guys, we do want to make it clear on this episode.
Lindsay and I are not health care experts here, right?
Oh, yeah.
We are giving you this is an average opinion about what's going on, but this episode is not meant to teach you all the intricacies of the healthcare system.
So we're giving you our opinion and some of the basics, but definitely the point is that it's very complex.
It's really complex.
And really, I don't think a lot of people understand it.
Yeah, I mean, and that's the goal today to understand that it is really complex.
There's not just one like right way to do it, just because other countries are doing it a certain way.
That doesn't mean it's the right thing for the US.
I mean, we're such a huge country.
We're such an incredibly...
I don't know, we have so many different lifestyles and opinions.
And it's so hard to bring us all together under under one system, right?
There's so many more complications that come up, right?
Exactly.
And the other thing is that, you know, a lot of people think that sounds great.
Like everyone, he says no co pays, I don't think I think I think he says it wouldn't be any.
You wouldn't pay anything.
Copays are deductible.
But people say it sounds too good to be true.
And how will he pay for it?
Well, that was always my issue with Bernie Sanders.
Like, I did not see any math.
I didn't see any logic.
And the candidates during the time when there were all the primary candidates, Buttigieg and Everyone they were asking him that too.
Bernie, where's your math?
Show me your math.
And there was nothing.
And so I have a big problem with that.
Yeah, yeah.
It's tough.
I mean, I mean...
I think for now, this is how it works, guys.
So when I go to the doctor, I have to pay a copay.
And like I said, if it's not a regular appointment, I have to pay an additional.
So, for example, I mentioned recently that my baby was sick and I was out of town, so I had to take him to an urgent care.
Do you want to know how much that copay was?
Oh my gosh, I can't imagine.
How much was it, Michelle?
Six seventy five dollars.
That's pretty high.
Yeah, that's pretty high.
That's pretty frustrating when he has a cold and i take him to the doctor.
Usually mine is like forty dollars, but i think something like for the urgent care was more expensive.
So you know, these things deter people from going to the doctor.
Yeah, it didn't deter me but, like i, i mean if you, if it's hard to afford that, you know Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, and it's hard to know, right?
We can say our opinions now, but if there's some big God forbid right, there's some big like disaster, then my opinion might change.
You know, medically speaking, I know that my mom this year I don't know if I've ever revealed this on the podcast my mom had breast cancer.
Right.
And she went through a whole system.
But I was actually very grateful because she was on at that time.
She was 65 or older.
She was actually like 69.
So she was on Medicare, which is the Medicare system works really well for people of 65 and older.
And I do agree with that.
Once you hit 65, you've worked hard.
You know, there should be some really good health care waiting for you at that point.
And so I was really thankful that she had that, because she had she went to the best hospital in Boston, kind of in the world Dana-Farber and they were able to get rid of it basically.
Wow.
So I was so thankful for Medicare at that time for older people, but I don't know if it could work as well if it applied to our whole country.
You know definitely, yeah.
So, oh my gosh lindsay, these are a lot of good questions.
We may do a follow-up on this, but i think we're gonna have to cut it off for now, because we could go on all day.
So guys, uh look out for a possible follow-up uh, either in the very near future or in a little bit.
We're going to have to come back to this, Michelle for sure.
For sure.
All right, Michelle, thanks for hanging out.
And I love when we get into these deep topics.
Guys, we want you to go out, start this conversation for yourself with someone else, so you can get that complicate, you know, complicate the issue.
That should be the goal.
Okay.
Awesome.
Awesome.
And don't forget to get in the Connected Communicator course so you can get more of these kinds of deep conversation topics.
Yeah, guys, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash connection.
All right, Michelle, talk to you soon.
All right, bye.
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