Beyond his popular Universal Basic Income plan, Andrew Yang supports Medicare for All, with emphasis on moving doctors off a price-for-service model to retain physicians and provide more standardized care. Yang has criticized the current private insurance model and employer-tied health coverage, but he has also said he would retain a private option under his M4A plan. 

Out of $15,020,173 that Yang raised so far in the 2020 elections:

  • $293,125 has been linked to the Health sector
  • $95,312 has been linked to hospitals/nursing homes
  • $86,797 has been linked to health professionals
  • $62,612 has been linked to pharmaceuticals/health products
  • Kaiser Permanente is one of his top contributors, donating $14,435

[Source: OpenSecrets]

 

His record

Yang said he had worked for health care startup MMF Systems as a vice president in 2002-2005, but he had not disclosed much more than that. A company called MMF Systems describes itself as a patient admissions database and analysis system on its website, though it’s unclear if this is the same organization for which Yang worked.

From His Website

“Through a Medicare for All system, we can ensure that all Americans receive the healthcare they deserve. Not only will this raise the quality of life for all Americans, but, by increasing access to preventive care, it will also bring overall healthcare costs down.

“With a shift to a Medicare for All system, costs can also be controlled directly by setting prices provided for medical services. The best approach is highlighted by the top-ranked Cleveland Clinic. There, doctors are paid a flat salary instead of by a price-for-service model. This shift has led to a hospital where costs are visible and under control. Redundant tests are at a minimum, and physician turnover is much lower than at comparable hospitals.

“Doctors also report being more involved with their patients. Since they’re salaried, there’s no need to churn through patient after patient. Instead, they can spend the proper amount of time to ensure that each patient receives their undivided attention and empathy.

“…Finally, being tied to an employer so that you don’t lose your healthcare prevents economic mobility. It’s important that people feel free to seek out new opportunities, and our current employer-provided healthcare system prevents that.”