5 Things You Need To Know About Bernie Sanders’ New Medicare-For-All Bill

5 Things You Need To Know About Bernie Sanders’ New Medicare-For-All Bill

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Since the demise of Paul Ryan’s American Health Care Act, Democrats on Capitol Hill have been gloating about the preservation of Obamacare. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has done them one better, telling Hardwick town hall attendees he will soon introduce a single-payer health care bill in Congress.

Here are five things you should know about Sanders’ plan.

1. Sanders introduced similar legislation in 2009 and 2011.

Sanders’ American Health Security Act of 2009 (S.703) would have provided every U.S. citizen and/or green-card holder with health services. The bill was referred to the Committee on Finance eight years ago this month. Sanders tried again two years later, introducing a Medicare-for-all type single-payer system which was accompanied by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)’s companion bill with 11 co-sponsors.

“The twin measures, both called the American Health Security Act of 2011, would provide federal guidelines and strong minimum standards for states to administer single-payer health care programs,” read the press release.

2. Sanders’ single payer efforts previously failed in his home state.

In 2014, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin nixed the health plan, fearing it would “hurt” the economy. California would soon launch a single-payer health care system, making it the first state to do so.

3. Like Obamacare, the popularity of Sanders’ plan rests largely on its name.

A February 2016 poll revealed that while 36 percent of Americans favored a Medicare-for-all system, support dropped to just 15% when it was referred to as “single payer.”

4. With a Republican majority, Medicare-for-all is doomed.

Along with Sanders and Rep. McDermott, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) introduced a Medicare-for-all bill with one national health insurance plan. Seventy-two Democrats and not a single Republican cosponsored the bill.

5. Medicare-for-all may be only way for Trump to fulfill his heath care promises.

Donald Trump promised “insurance for everybody.” He also vowed not to cut Medicare or Medicaid.  Physicians for a National Health Program says single payer reform is “the only way to fulfill the president’s pledge.’

Watch: Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a town hall meeting in Hardwick, Vermont:

 

This article was made possible by the readers and supporters of AlterNet.

Advertising

Start your day with National Memo Newsletter

Know first.

The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning

Judge In Trump Georgia Case Says Willis Can Continue Prosecution
Fani Willis , right, in Fulton County courtroom

March 15 (Reuters) - The Georgia judge overseeing Donald Trump's trial on charges of trying to overturn his election defeat in the U.S. state said that lead prosecutor Fani Willis can remain on the case, so long as she removes a deputy she had a personal relationship with.

Keep reading...Show less
Russian Witness Against Biden Received $600K From 'Trump Associates'

Alexander Smirnov, center, leaving courthouse in Las Vegas on February 20, 2024

Photo by Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal

I’ll bet you didn’t know that it is possible in this great big world of ours to live a comfortable life being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for doing basically nothing. Well, not nothing, exactly, but the money you get is unattached to normal stuff we are all familiar with like a job, complete with job-related duties and office hours and a W-2 and maybe even a job title. The money can thus be described by what it is not, which is aboveboard and visible. Instead, this kind of money often ends up in the kinds of accounts said to be “controlled” by you or others, which is to say, accounts which may not, and often do not, have your name on them.

Keep reading...Show less
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}