Bernie Sanders Officially Introduced His Medicare-for-All Bill - S.1129
WASHINGTON, April 10 – Sen. Bernie Sanders and 14 of his Democratic colleagues introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2019 Wednesday to guarantee health care to every American as a right, not a privilege.
The United States spends far more per capita on health care than any other nation; however, 34 million Americans do not have health insurance, thousands of people die each year because they cannot afford medical care, almost one in three adults with insurance have been unable to afford the care they need and nearly half fear bankruptcy in the event of a health emergency.
Sanders’ legislation fundamentally transforms the country’s dysfunctional health care system by eliminating profit-driven health insurance corporations and instead covering every resident through an improved Medicare plan at far lower cost to working families and the nation as a whole.
“In my view, the current debate over Medicare for All really has nothing to do with health care. It’s all about greed and profiteering. It is about whether we maintain a dysfunctional system which allows the top five health insurance companies to make over $20 billion in profits last year,” Sanders said. “The American people are increasingly clear. They want a health care system which guarantees health care to all Americans as a right. They want a healthcare system which will lower healthcare costs and save them money. They want a health care system which will guarantee them freedom of choice as to which doctor or hospital they can go to. They want a health care system which will substantially lower the cost of prescription drugs. They want Medicare for seniors which will finally cover dental care, hearing aids and eyeglasses. In other words, they want Medicare for All, and that’s what we will deliver to them.” (Sanders Press Release)
S.1129 & H.R.1384 - Medicare for All
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) unveiled S.1129 & H.R.1384, a bill that would overhaul the U.S. health care system and set up a single-payer national system, setting a standard for the most progressive health plan introduced by a Democrat. The estimates range from $2.6 trillion to $3.4 trillion annually. It would establish a single-payer, government-run health care system that would cover a range of services at no out-of-pocket cost to patients. The measure would not only cover primary and preventive care, as well as inpatient and outpatient hospital services, but also long-term care support services that are not currently covered by Medicare, among other things.
Should Congress pass a Medicare-for-All national health insurance program?
