May, 12 2022, 02:30pm EDT
![Senator Bernie Sanders](https://assets.rbl.ms/32012641/origin.jpg)
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Michael Briggs: (202) 228-6492
Sanders Introduces Medicare for All with 14 Colleagues in the Senate
More than 1 in 3 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. linked to lack of health insurance.
WASHINGTON
In the midst of a pandemic that has claimed nearly one million American lives - more than one third of which have been linked to a lack of health insurance - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and fourteen of his colleagues in the Senate on Thursday introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2022 to guarantee health care in the United States as a fundamental human right to all.
Sanders is joined on the 2022 legislation by all original cosponsors, including Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). The Medicare for All Act of 2022 has also been endorsed by more than 60 major organizations, including National Nurses United, American Medical Student Association, National Union of Health Care Workers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), Indivisible, Public Citizen, People's Action, National Immigration Law Center, Center for Popular Democracy, and Working Families Party.
"The American people understand, as I do, that health care is a human right, not a privilege and that we must end the international embarrassment of the United States being the only major country on Earth that does not guarantee health care to all of its citizens," said Sen. Sanders. "It is not acceptable to me, nor to the American people, that over 70 million people today are either uninsured or underinsured. As we speak, there are millions of people who would like to go to a doctor but cannot afford to do so. This is an outrage. In America, your health and your longevity should not be dependent on your wealth. Health care is a human right that all Americans, regardless of income, are entitled to and they deserve the best health care that our country can provide."
"Health care should be a right for all, not a luxury for some," said Sen. Blumenthal. "In the United States of America, millions of Americans go to sleep at night worried about a procedure they can't access or a treatment their family can't afford. Our status quo is unacceptable. Regardless of age, income, or zip-code, access to quality, timely medical care should be guaranteed for all who need it. I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing this landmark legislation."
"Despite being the wealthiest country on the planet and spending more per capita on health care than other comparable nations, America lags behind on critical health measures such as infant and maternal mortality rates," said Sen. Booker. "Compared to other high-income countries, the U.S. has the highest number of hospitalizations from preventable causes and the highest rate of avoidable deaths. Even with the advances in coverage, too many Americans are still afraid to seek the care they need due to the high cost of care in our country. We need to urgently transform this broken system by lowering costs and expanding access to high quality health care to everyone. As such, I am proud to join colleagues in reintroducing legislation that would implement Medicare for all, guaranteeing affordable health care to everyone as a right, not a privilege."
"Health care in America is simply too expensive and insurance companies continue to value their profits over people - it's unacceptable," said Sen. Gillibrand. "I am thrilled to join my colleagues in championing Medicare for All. This is the most effective way to create affordable, public health care for every American. As we've been reminded in recent days, health care has to be a right, not a privilege."
"New Mexicans should never have to choose between putting food on their table and going to doctors' appointments," said Sen. Heinrich. "That's why I am proud to cosponsor the Medicare for All Act, to expand health care coverage and provide access to hospital services, emergency services, prescription drugs, oral health, vision, and audiology services to all Americans."
"Guaranteed access to quality, affordable health care is a right, not a privilege," said Sen. Hirono. "The last few years have shown us how urgent and necessary it is to ensure every person has access to quality, affordable health care--and Medicare-for-All is one way to achieve that. This legislation would benefit millions of people across the country--no one should have to choose between crippling debt or receiving comprehensive health care."
"In the richest country in the world, it's an injustice that millions of people lack basic health care," said Sen. Markey. "Too many Americans live on the cusp of financial collapse if they face unforeseen medical emergencies or devastating diagnoses, or are forced to forego critical treatment altogether. As our nation heals from a public health crisis that has shone a stark light on the disparities that have long existed in our health care system, our answer is clear: Medicare for All. I am proud to cosponsor this important legislation to make universal, affordable health coverage a right for every American."
"Health care is a right, not a privilege reserved for the healthy and the wealthy," said Sen. Merkley. "But that right is being poorly served by our current complex, fragmented, expensive, and stressful system. Accessing health care should be simple and seamless. Solely by virtue of living in America, you should know you will get the care you need, when you need it. We've made some tremendous strides in expanding access to health care across our nation, but it's way past time to simplify health care, lower patients' costs, and embrace Medicare for All."
"Health care is a human right and it's past time that we pass Medicare for All to ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable health care, regardless of zip code or tax bracket," said Sen. Padilla. "No American should go bankrupt because of exorbitant medical costs. Congress can and must act to better control health care costs."
"Medicare for All guarantees that every American will be able to get the health care they need when they need it," said Sen. Warren. "No one should ever go broke because of a medical bill or have to ration life-saving medications to make ends meet. Health care is a basic human right, and I will always fight for basic human rights."
Today in the United States, 68,000 Americans die each year because they cannot afford the health care they desperately need, and millions more suffer unnecessarily because of delayed treatment. About 44 percent of the adult population, some 112 million Americans, are struggling to pay for the medical care they need and over 70 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured because of high deductibles and premiums. In addition, life expectancy in the U.S. is much lower than most other industrialized countries and infant mortality rates are much higher. During the pandemic, the crisis that is the American health care system has only worsened. And yet, the U.S. spends twice as much per capita on health care than virtually any other major nation.
Implemented over a four-year period, the Medicare for All Act of 2022 establishes a federally administered national health insurance program that would ensure quality and comprehensive health care to all. This would include dental care, vision coverage, and hearing aids - with no out-of-pocket expenses, insurance premiums, deductibles, or co-payments - and save middle class families thousands of dollars a year.
This legislation would also create a health care system that finally puts people over profits. Today, as millions of American families face bankruptcy and financial ruin because of the outrageously high cost of health care, the CEOs of 178 major health care companies collectively made $3.2 billion in total compensation in 2020 - up 31% from 2019. While nearly one out of four Americans cannot afford the life-saving medicine their doctors prescribe, last year Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and AbbVie - three giant pharmaceutical companies - increased their profits by over 90 percent to $54 billion. Meanwhile, the CEOs of just 8 prescription drug companies made $350 million in total compensation in 2020.
However, according to the Congressional Budget Office, Medicare for All would save $650 billion each year, improve the economy, and eliminate all out-of-pocket health care costs. Other studies, such as from experts at Yale University, estimate it could save upwards of $450 billion per year. Even a study done by the right-wing Mercatus Center estimated that Medicare for All would save Americans more than $2 trillion over a decade.
Read the summary, here.
Read the fact sheet, here.
Read the bill text, here.
LATEST NEWS
Open Convention or Harris 'Coronation'? Democrats Weigh Options After Biden Exit
"If Kamala Harris wants the nomination, and wants it to be worth anything, she has to at least show that she fought for it and won it cleanly," argued one commentator.
Jul 22, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris quickly racked up endorsements from major Democratic figures—including President Joe Biden—and received the backing of deep-pocketed party donors on Sunday after the incumbent exited the 2024 contest in the face of insurmountable pressure.
But while much of the party coalesced around the vice president and argued she's the obvious choice to take on Republican nominee Donald Trump in November, some Democrats and commentators made the case for a competitive nominating process, contending that it would strengthen the eventual candidate and avoid the appearance of an undemocratic "coronation."
Former President Barack Obama was the most prominent Democrat to hint at support for something resembling an open convention, saying in a statement that he has "extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges."
Prior to Biden's exit, dozens of former Democratic lawmakers endorsed an open convention, writing in an open letter that the process would "energize the party and capture the imagination and interest of voters—especially younger and marginalized voters—who have been uninspired by the choices so far."
"I am for an open convention—huge media coverage leading up and during—knock the Trump campaign off kilter and off the air!" former Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), one of the letter's signatories, wrote in a social media post on Sunday.
Opponents of an open convention, meanwhile, argued such a process would be chaotic, divisive, and inherently damaging to the party's prospects.
"Democrats have a choice to make: unite and win, or fight each other and lose," said Birmingham, Alabama Mayor Randall Woodfin.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other progressives in Congress also made the case for rallying behind Harris rather than leaving the door open to potential Democratic challengers and requiring Harris to win the nomination at the party's convention in Chicago next month.
"Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on social media. "Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let's get to work."
It's unclear whether any viable challenger would emerge should Democrats opt for an open convention, but Harris herself said after Biden dropped his reelection bid that her "intention is to earn and win this nomination."
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is reportedly considering re-registering as a Democrat to compete for the nomination—a bid that would be doomed to fail given that he's reviled by the Democratic Party's progressive wing and much of the establishment for obstructing significant elements of Biden's legislative agenda.
(Update: Manchin toldCBS News Monday morning that he is "not going to be a candidate for president.")
NOTUSreported Sunday that "a small group of Democratic leaders are seen as having the credibility and resources to challenge for the nomination," including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Shapiro and Newsom both endorsed Harris on Sunday.
According toThe New York Times, some Democrats privately "argued that a more competitive process would benefit Ms. Harris because it could dispel doubts about her political skills." Notably, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) were not among the Democratic lawmakers who endorsed Harris on Sunday.
Drop Site's Ryan Grim observed Sunday that "the conventional wisdom is that an open convention is simply never going to happen, and if it does it will be a disaster for Democrats—weeks of infighting and chaos that'll drag the party down."
"But that argument is merely a mix of assumption and assertion," Grim wrote. "With a little imagination, that chaos could be turned toward the party's advantage at a time when it's desperately needed. The argument for coronating Kamala Harris doesn't consider how it would look for a party that is in the grip of a legitimacy crisis—Democratic elites were the last in the country to acknowledge Biden's frailty—to foist a new nominee on the public."
"If Kamala Harris wants the nomination, and wants it to be worth anything, she has to at least show that she fought for it and won it cleanly," he added. "And the only way to do that is at an open convention."
The Democratic National Committee's (DNC) rules panel is set to meet this week to "implement a framework to select a new nominee," as The Wall Street Journalreported. The panel's co-chairs, according to the Journal, vowed the process would be "comprehensive, fair, and expeditious."
Before Biden's exit, the DNC was planning to hold a virtual roll call vote early next month to cement the incumbent president as the Democratic nominee weeks before the party's convention in Chicago.
It's unclear whether the DNC plans to move ahead with a virtual vote.
"While an open convention would undoubtedly be entertaining to watch, I doubt we'll see that," said Dan Tokaji, an election law expert at the University of Wisconsin Law School. "It's possible that delegates will vote to nominate Harris before the convention even begins."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Biden to 'Stand Down'; Endorses Kamala Harris
' I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year'
Jul 21, 2024
Breaking News...more to come
UPDATE : In response to President Biden’s announcement that he is no longer seeking reelection, MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Rahna Epting released the following statement:
“President Joe Biden‘s legacy is defined by defeating Donald Trump, restoring our nation’s commitment to our democracy, and delivering one of the most impressive domestic policy agendas in modern history. Just like he did in 2020, President Biden is making a tremendous personal sacrifice to preserve our democracy, putting the interest of the American people first, and he has the gratitude of our nation and our millions of members.
“Vice President Harris is tested and respected, and her voice is critically important at this moment. MoveOn and our members have her back and believe that those who share our commitment to winning this election and protecting our futures will do everything in their power to lift her up and stop Trump in his tracks.
MoveOn is more driven than ever to unifying the anti-Trump coalition and defeating Donald Trump and extremist MAGA Republicans once again in 2024. We are all in on electing Kamala Harris and Democrats to the U.S. House and Senate and we look forward to engaging our members and surge voters across the country to rise up and make their voices heard this fall.”
President Joe Biden has made the decision to not run for president. Read his just released statement below.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Israeli Military Strikes Claim Lives of 64 Individuals in a Single Day
'When is enough? When will the war ever end?'
Jul 21, 2024
The local Health Ministry says at least 64 people were killed and 105 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours. Many victims are still under the rubble and on roads, with civil defense crews not able to reach them, it adds.
The Israeli military has launched numerous deadly strikes focused on the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, including the targeting of multiple UN-run schools housing displaced people.
Nuseirat residents described living in constant fear of being bombed and a deteriorating humanitarian situation.
“The situation is scary,” said Rahma Abu Hajjaj, a 39-year-old mother of five from Nuserirat. “There are no warnings, there are no alarms when homes are bombed, we are hiding all the time and we do not know why they are targeting these homes.”
"We hear the sounds of explosions in Nuseirat and we see the smoke rising from here in Deir Al-Balah, the last refuge you can say and we are being terrorized by the feeling tanks may roll here," Tamer Aburakan, a resident of Gaza City, told
Reuters.
"Where should we go next? The entire Gaza Strip is under fire, and we are being hunted like deer in a forest. When is enough? When will the war ever end?" he said via a chat app.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to travel to the US on Monday. Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday afternoon. The next day, he is due to address a joint session of US Congress.
Thousands of people are expected to protest against the visit of Netanyahu for whom the top prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is seeking an arrest warrant for war crimes.
At least 38,983 Palestinians have been killed and 89,727 others injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, Gaza's health ministry said on Sunday, including the 64 people killed in the last 24 hours.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular