You can only bring down costs and combat things like hospital consolidations through a single payer system and dismantling private insurance (i.e. Bernie or Jayapal’s bills), so none of the “compromises” proposed by other candidates will do anything too meaningful. If you want a good breakdown on why, I recommend Tim Faust’s new book:
A single-payer system isn't the only way to bring down costs and fight hospital consolidations. Enforcement of antitrust laws on regional hospital monopolies is another potential way. Although tipping the scales more in favor of payers, with single payer being the extreme variant of this, could work as well
The issue with any political solution is that hospitals will fight any legislation like crazy. Hospitals probably have more political power than even the drug industry, and the drug industry has obviously been able to fight price controls pretty well.
The risk I see with any political solutions is that politicians create watered-down legislation that makes voters think they are tackling the issue, but don't really have much teeth. That's the win-win for politicians -- if you pass a toothless medicare for all bill, voters will applaud you, and you won't anger potential donors from industry.
> The issue with any political solution is that hospitals will fight any legislation like crazy.
> The risk I see with any political solutions is that politicians create watered-down legislation that makes voters think they are tackling the issue, but don't really have much teeth
I agree, which is why you have to start from the strongest possible negotiating stake with a corresponding infrastructure of mass organization and support (again, Bernie and his bill).
These industries are absolutely ruthless, profit from people at their most vulnerable, and will fight tooth and nail to continue this deeply predatory behavior. If you approach them with even the slightest indication that you will bend to their will, they will eat you for lunch.
https://www.mhpbooks.com/books/health-justice-now/
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-death-panel/e/63311382