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Dear John,
More than 370,000 of the 1.1 million COVID deaths in the United States to date have been linked to a lack of health insurance.
This should be a wake-up call.
No one in America should be dying because they lack insurance.
But the shocking truth is that in the U.S. today, over 85 million people are either uninsured or underinsured.
It’s time that we cover everybody, and there’s no better way than Medicare For All, the bill just re-introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Debbie Dingell, and co-sponsored by more than half the Democratic caucus.
As Bernie says, “The American people understand, as I do, that healthcare 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... This is an outrage. In America, your health and your longevity should not be dependent on your bank account or your stock portfolio.”
If you agree that healthcare is a basic human right, sign on now to let Congress know it is time to pass the Medicare for All Act of 2023, and ensure that every person is guaranteed quality healthcare regardless of their ability to pay.
What exactly is covered by Medicare for All?
The bill builds upon and expands Medicare to ensure every person in the U.S. has access to primary care, vision, dental, prescription drugs, mental health, substance abuse, reproductive healthcare, and more. It includes long-term care for older Americans and individuals with disabilities, and the right to choose doctors and hospitals without worrying if a provider is in-network.
How can we afford all this, you may ask?
We will eliminate most of the one-third of current costs that goes to administration of our overly complex system that denies or delays much needed care. These unnecessary costs go not toward patient health, but to billing and collections, marketing, advertising, executive pay, and shareholder profits.
The typical American family now spends $6,000 on health insurance premiums each year. Add in the copayments, deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, and what you pay in healthcare-related taxes, and this comes to $8,975 a year. All told, you are already paying far more for health insurance than people in any other advanced country, yet the U.S. ranks near the bottom in outcomes such as life span and infant mortality.
Under the Medicare for All Act, total costs including premiums, co-payments, deductibles, and taxes, are lower because hospitals, doctors, and pharmaceutical companies are reimbursed directly, eliminating the bloat of for-profit insurance. The Urban Institute estimates that households and businesses would save about $21.9 trillion over ten years, and state and local governments would save $4.1 trillion.
Saving trillions of dollars while providing comprehensive healthcare for all Americans -- this is a better return on investment for the American people by far. Join us in demanding action and showing Congress Medicare for All has broad support nationwide by adding your name now.
Thank you for your support on this crucial issue.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
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