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Community organizations, unions, and lawmakers--including Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)--gather on the grounds of the Capitol in May of 2017 to voice concerns about President Donald Trump's proposed budget. (Photo: AFGE/Flickr/cc)
Medicare for All Sponsor Rep. Jayapal Challenges Biden's Comments on Labor Unions and Health Insurance
"Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages."
Jul 06, 2019
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal--who favors creating a national single-payer system that ensures healthcare as a human right for all Americans--responded critically on Saturday to 2020 presidential primary front-runner Joe Biden's recent comments about labor unions and employer-based health insurance.
"This argument that 'unions broke their neck to get employer-based insurance' is an OLD argument that isn't relevant today."
--Rep. Pramila Jayapal
The congresswoman from Washington state is the lead sponsor in the U.S. House of the Medicare for All Act of 2019. Jayapal's response to the former vice president came in a series of tweets, and followed criticism of Biden from another 2020 contender--Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime single-payer advocate and lead sponsor of the Senate's version of the bill.
During an interview with CNN that aired Friday, as Common Dreams reported, "Biden suggested he supports allowing Americans to buy in to Medicare instead of going all the way to Medicare for All, which he slammed as disruptive and costly despite studies showing it would save the U.S. trillions of dollars in overall healthcare spending."
"If they like their employer-based insurance, which a lot of unions broke their neck to get, a lot of people like theirs, they shouldn't have to give it up," Biden said. "If you don't go my way and you go their way you have to give up all that. What's gonna happen when you have 300 million people landing on a healthcare plan. How long is that going to take? What's it going to do?"
Sharing the relevant clip from Biden's interview, Jayapal tweeted Saturday, "This argument that 'unions broke their neck to get employer-based insurance' is an OLD argument that isn't relevant today."
The congresswoman listed some of the labor unions supporting her Medicare for All bill--including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and National Nurses United (NNU)--and argued that these organizations "understand" the benefits of transforming the country's for-profit healthcare system through proposals such as hers.
For example, Jayapal wrote, unions understand that "workers are paying more and more for their employer-insurance because for-profit insurance companies are raising premiums hugely for employer healthcare as well."
"Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages," the congresswoman continued.
Labor unions also "understand solidarity and standing with [the] least amongst us," she added. "They're ready to fight for ALL OF US."
Read Jayapal's full Twitter thread:
\u201c...United Mineworkers, ILWU & so many more. These unions understand several things: 1) workers are paying more & more for their employer-insurance b/c for-profit insurance companies are raising premiums hugely for employer healthcare as well. Employers push much of that down.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c3) Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages. That\u2019s part of why we see enormous wage stagnation. They\u2019ve foregone $$$ to pay for-profit insurance premiums instead of workers\u2019 wages.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c4A. Imagine, for ex, the healthcare \u201ctariff\u201d on a US car! Automakers spending on healthcare for hourly workers & families in 2015 topped $2 BILLION. @WarrenBuffett has called current HC system the \u201ctapeworm of American competitiveness.\u201d\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201cMajor hosp CEO recently told me that for-profit insurance companies have 1000s of ppl who just challenge claims submitted to them. Therefore, his hospital & other businesses either have to have armies dedicated just to this admin waste or accept the denials at employees\u2019 peril.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c5. #LaborUnions understand solidarity & standing w/least amongst us. Even unions who have may good HC understand that 70 mm Americans are uninsured or underinsured, & tens of millions more cannot afford insurance they have. They\u2019re ready to fight for ALL OF US. #MedicareForAll\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
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bernie sanderselection 2020healthcarehuman rightsjoe bidenmedicare for allpramila jayapalsingle-payer
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal--who favors creating a national single-payer system that ensures healthcare as a human right for all Americans--responded critically on Saturday to 2020 presidential primary front-runner Joe Biden's recent comments about labor unions and employer-based health insurance.
"This argument that 'unions broke their neck to get employer-based insurance' is an OLD argument that isn't relevant today."
--Rep. Pramila Jayapal
The congresswoman from Washington state is the lead sponsor in the U.S. House of the Medicare for All Act of 2019. Jayapal's response to the former vice president came in a series of tweets, and followed criticism of Biden from another 2020 contender--Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime single-payer advocate and lead sponsor of the Senate's version of the bill.
During an interview with CNN that aired Friday, as Common Dreams reported, "Biden suggested he supports allowing Americans to buy in to Medicare instead of going all the way to Medicare for All, which he slammed as disruptive and costly despite studies showing it would save the U.S. trillions of dollars in overall healthcare spending."
"If they like their employer-based insurance, which a lot of unions broke their neck to get, a lot of people like theirs, they shouldn't have to give it up," Biden said. "If you don't go my way and you go their way you have to give up all that. What's gonna happen when you have 300 million people landing on a healthcare plan. How long is that going to take? What's it going to do?"
Sharing the relevant clip from Biden's interview, Jayapal tweeted Saturday, "This argument that 'unions broke their neck to get employer-based insurance' is an OLD argument that isn't relevant today."
The congresswoman listed some of the labor unions supporting her Medicare for All bill--including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and National Nurses United (NNU)--and argued that these organizations "understand" the benefits of transforming the country's for-profit healthcare system through proposals such as hers.
For example, Jayapal wrote, unions understand that "workers are paying more and more for their employer-insurance because for-profit insurance companies are raising premiums hugely for employer healthcare as well."
"Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages," the congresswoman continued.
Labor unions also "understand solidarity and standing with [the] least amongst us," she added. "They're ready to fight for ALL OF US."
Read Jayapal's full Twitter thread:
\u201c...United Mineworkers, ILWU & so many more. These unions understand several things: 1) workers are paying more & more for their employer-insurance b/c for-profit insurance companies are raising premiums hugely for employer healthcare as well. Employers push much of that down.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c3) Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages. That\u2019s part of why we see enormous wage stagnation. They\u2019ve foregone $$$ to pay for-profit insurance premiums instead of workers\u2019 wages.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c4A. Imagine, for ex, the healthcare \u201ctariff\u201d on a US car! Automakers spending on healthcare for hourly workers & families in 2015 topped $2 BILLION. @WarrenBuffett has called current HC system the \u201ctapeworm of American competitiveness.\u201d\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201cMajor hosp CEO recently told me that for-profit insurance companies have 1000s of ppl who just challenge claims submitted to them. Therefore, his hospital & other businesses either have to have armies dedicated just to this admin waste or accept the denials at employees\u2019 peril.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c5. #LaborUnions understand solidarity & standing w/least amongst us. Even unions who have may good HC understand that 70 mm Americans are uninsured or underinsured, & tens of millions more cannot afford insurance they have. They\u2019re ready to fight for ALL OF US. #MedicareForAll\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal--who favors creating a national single-payer system that ensures healthcare as a human right for all Americans--responded critically on Saturday to 2020 presidential primary front-runner Joe Biden's recent comments about labor unions and employer-based health insurance.
"This argument that 'unions broke their neck to get employer-based insurance' is an OLD argument that isn't relevant today."
--Rep. Pramila Jayapal
The congresswoman from Washington state is the lead sponsor in the U.S. House of the Medicare for All Act of 2019. Jayapal's response to the former vice president came in a series of tweets, and followed criticism of Biden from another 2020 contender--Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime single-payer advocate and lead sponsor of the Senate's version of the bill.
During an interview with CNN that aired Friday, as Common Dreams reported, "Biden suggested he supports allowing Americans to buy in to Medicare instead of going all the way to Medicare for All, which he slammed as disruptive and costly despite studies showing it would save the U.S. trillions of dollars in overall healthcare spending."
"If they like their employer-based insurance, which a lot of unions broke their neck to get, a lot of people like theirs, they shouldn't have to give it up," Biden said. "If you don't go my way and you go their way you have to give up all that. What's gonna happen when you have 300 million people landing on a healthcare plan. How long is that going to take? What's it going to do?"
Sharing the relevant clip from Biden's interview, Jayapal tweeted Saturday, "This argument that 'unions broke their neck to get employer-based insurance' is an OLD argument that isn't relevant today."
The congresswoman listed some of the labor unions supporting her Medicare for All bill--including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and National Nurses United (NNU)--and argued that these organizations "understand" the benefits of transforming the country's for-profit healthcare system through proposals such as hers.
For example, Jayapal wrote, unions understand that "workers are paying more and more for their employer-insurance because for-profit insurance companies are raising premiums hugely for employer healthcare as well."
"Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages," the congresswoman continued.
Labor unions also "understand solidarity and standing with [the] least amongst us," she added. "They're ready to fight for ALL OF US."
Read Jayapal's full Twitter thread:
\u201c...United Mineworkers, ILWU & so many more. These unions understand several things: 1) workers are paying more & more for their employer-insurance b/c for-profit insurance companies are raising premiums hugely for employer healthcare as well. Employers push much of that down.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c3) Unions understand that when they have to bargain for healthcare, they give up money that should be used for wages. That\u2019s part of why we see enormous wage stagnation. They\u2019ve foregone $$$ to pay for-profit insurance premiums instead of workers\u2019 wages.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c4A. Imagine, for ex, the healthcare \u201ctariff\u201d on a US car! Automakers spending on healthcare for hourly workers & families in 2015 topped $2 BILLION. @WarrenBuffett has called current HC system the \u201ctapeworm of American competitiveness.\u201d\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201cMajor hosp CEO recently told me that for-profit insurance companies have 1000s of ppl who just challenge claims submitted to them. Therefore, his hospital & other businesses either have to have armies dedicated just to this admin waste or accept the denials at employees\u2019 peril.\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
\u201c5. #LaborUnions understand solidarity & standing w/least amongst us. Even unions who have may good HC understand that 70 mm Americans are uninsured or underinsured, & tens of millions more cannot afford insurance they have. They\u2019re ready to fight for ALL OF US. #MedicareForAll\u201d— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal) 1562429594
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