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By Jennifer Fitzgerald,
CEO and co-founder of PolicyGenius
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A single-payer health care system is exactly what the United States needs. It most likely will not make it through the legislative process. But “what matters is that, as Republicans present another plan consisting of block grants and pre-existing condition waivers, Democrats have begun to put forward a singular, comprehensive approach to health care -- even if it has to wait.”
“Bernie Sanders may not have come away from the 2016 presidential election with the Democratic nomination, but his impact is still being felt throughout the party. The latest instance is the Medicare For All Act, which would give every American access to the same insurer: The U.S. government.
“The impact on the average consumer can't be understated – or definitively predicted. That's because Sanders' legislation is so wide-reaching it's hard to compare to existing single-payer systems. The bill lowers the age for Medicare qualification from 65 to 55 in its first year, then gradually phases everyone in over the next three. Coverage would include everything from hospital stays to prescription drugs and even vision and dental care – more than other countries offer their citizens – with few out-of-pocket costs.
“So how does a country pay for full coverage at essentially no cost to recipients? That's a good question, and one that isn't answered in the bill. Sanders has released different financing options, all of which boil down to increased taxes for various groups. While the Congressional Budget Office hasn't yet scored the plan, proponents argue that, for the average American, the money saved on health care costs would outweigh any unavoidable tax increase. But even if there was a net increase, would saying goodbye to confusing health insurance bills make up for it?
“The bill has the opportunity to lower the uninsured rate to zero. Nearly half of Senate Democrats have co-signed it.”
On September 13, Senator Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Al Franken, Jeff Merkley and others introduced a Medicare For All bill in the Senate. American spending on health care per person is more than twice the average in the world’s 35 advanced economies. Yet Americans are sicker and our lives are shorter. It's time to deliver better health care for all at a lower cost. Please share this video if you agree health care should be a right, not a privilege.
