It may be some time before Democrats in Congress can drive health care policy–or any policy for that matter–but it is due time that they unite around Medicare for All as the way to ensure good affordable coverage for everyone in America. Even if Republicans were unsuccessful at repealing the Affordable Care Act, we can be sure they are doing what they can to undermine it. And, they will do nothing either to control spiraling health care costs or to ensure that all Americans have coverage.
Democrats need to be playing offense with a smart health care plan. A decade ago, Jacob Hacker proposed one version of Medicare for All that Congress should consider.
Common Dreams reports that RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of National Nurses United (NNU), makes the case that Democrats “are fighting for an unacceptable status quo.” We cannot rely on private insurers to deliver good affordable care. In a press release, she further observes that even with the ACA, health care is unaffordable to millions with coverage, and 28 million Americans still don’t have coverage. We need to put people’s health care needs first, not insurer profits.
Representative Luis Guttierez of Illinois echoes DeMoro, saying that it is time that the government took responsibility for the health of its citizenry.
According to Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein, we can replace our current health care system with Medicare for All–similar to HR 676–and immediately insure 26 million uninsured Americans. Medicare for All would save nearly 21,000 lives in its first year. As Senator Bernie Sanders has said for years, health care should be guaranteed to everyone as a right.
Please sign this petition if you want Congress to keep its hands off Medicare.
Here’s more from Just Care:
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