Why Medicare For All?
It’s simple: Health care is a human right. During the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly 1 out of 3 COVID-19-related deaths have been linked to health insurance gaps. Over 30 million Americans have no health insurance and millions more have delayed getting the medical attention they need due to high co-pays and deductibles. With the Omicron variant accounting for over 70% of new COVID-19 cases, and with many in jeopardy of employer-based healthcare coverage, it is more important than ever to implement Medicare for All.
Our current healthcare system is broken. Our frontline workers are overworked, our hospitals are understaffed, and many patients aren’t getting the care they need. Yet two years into a global pandemic, the healthcare sector continues to operate as a business prioritizing profits over people.
America is the only wealthy nation that does not have a universal healthcare system. Despite spending the most money on healthcare, we have low life expectancy, high infant mortality, maternal mortality, and rates of chronic disease.
Americans are one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. Healthcare-related debt is the largest cause of family bankruptcy in the nation. Even seniors are falling into medical debt because our current Medicare system is failing to meet their needs.
Currently, the healthcare industry continues to pour millions of dollars of dark money into political campaigns and lobbies policymakers in order to continue maximizing profits at our expense. In fact, the health insurance industry lobbied over $8 million to politicians in 2021, and more than two-thirds of Congressmembers took money from Big Pharma during the 2020 campaign cycle, including many Democrats. We can only have the healthcare system we need by electing true champions of Medicare For All.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the government pay for Medicare for All?
Medicare for All is projected to cost less than our current spending according to studies from Yale University and University of California. Even the Mercatus Center, a libertarian think tank, projects that Medicare For all will cost our government $3.2 trillion while providing comprehensive healthcare for all Americans, unlike our current system which costs over $4 trillion a year.
Medicare For All will save taxpayers money. It will cut administrative costs which make up nearly a third of our healthcare dollars. Costs will be further reduced by putting a greater focus on preventing sickness rather than only treating disease.
How is Medicare for All different from Obamacare?
Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA), focused on providing health insurance for people who could not obtain insurance through their job or existing federal programs. Medicare for All, on the other hand, goes even further in providing healthcare to Americans who are unemployed. Additionally, supporters of Medicare for All find deductibles still too high to pay, despite this amount being capped under the ACA.
