Doing What's Right: Healthcare for 24 Million People

The United States can absolutely afford to ensure healthcare for the 24 million people, who would otherwise be uninsured under the Republican Healthcare proposal.

It is a matter of choosing to be responsible toward one another’s well-being as a society  And it is a matter of recognizing the vast benefits that have come to many people in this country who have more resources - and being willing to share some of what has been received.

The impact of the proposed Republican Health Care Plan, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, is that 24 million people would lose healthcare over a 10 year period, with a cost ‘savings’ of $337 billion.

I looked up the current adult population of the US, about 250 million people.  If the wealthiest 50% of adults (125 million people) paid that $337 billion over those 10 years, the cost contribution could distributed according to a progressive income/wealth scale such as:

Income/Wealth Level       Yearly Contribution
50-60%                             $40
60-70%                             $120
70-80%                             $240
80-90%                             $400
90-100%                           $708

Those who have more income/wealth in the country rely on the labor of millions of people who work in low-wage jobs, in an economic system that rewards people those with more resources, while others are left without basic healthcare security.

Given the effects over the past 25+ years of weakening of labor laws; computerization and automation; globalization of competition; and access to political influence of those with greater income/wealth…. it is only right for those who benefit from the economic system as it is structured, to contribute generously to the healthcare costs of those who otherwise don’t have this basic assurance.