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THIS IS SOME OF WHAT WE MUST DO TO REFORM OUR DYSFUNCTIONAL
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM  
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Bernie Sanders
December 31, 2024
Guardian
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_ We are the wealthiest nation on Earth. There is no rational reason
as to why we are not the healthiest nation on Earth _

"Hands Off Social Security!", by AFGE (CC BY 2.0)

 

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of serving as chair of
the US Senate committee on health, education, labor and pensions
(Help). As I leave that position, let me reflect upon where I think
our country should be going in healthcare, and the obstacles we face.

We are the wealthiest nation on Earth. There is no rational reason as
to why we are not the healthiest nation on Earth. We should be leading
the world in terms of life expectancy, disease prevention, low infant
and maternal mortality, quality of life and human happiness. Sadly,
study after study shows just the opposite. Despite spending almost
twice as much per capita on healthcare, we trail most wealthy nations
in all these areas.

If we’re going to reform our broken and dysfunctional healthcare
system and “Make America healthy again”, this is _some_ of what
we must do.

Medicare for All

Healthcare is a human right. The function of a rational healthcare
system is to guarantee quality healthcare to all, not huge profits for
the insurance industry. The United States cannot continue to be the
only wealthy nation that does not provide universal healthcare. It is
not acceptable that, while spending almost 18% of our GDP on
healthcare, millions of Americans delay going to the doctor and 60,000
Americans die each year because they can’t afford the care they
need.

Lower the cost of prescription drugs

As Americans, we should not be paying, by far, the highest prices in
the world for life-saving medications. It is absurd that while the
pharmaceutical industry enjoys huge profits and benefits from US
taxpayer research, one out of four Americans cannot afford to purchase
the prescription drugs their doctors prescribe. We must cut
prescription drug prices in half by making sure that we pay no more
for medicine than the Europeans or Canadians.

Paid family and medical leave

Workers should not have to go to work when they are sick. Mothers and
fathers should have ample time to stay home with their newborn babies.
A parent should not get fired when they stay home with a sick child.
We must guarantee at least 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave
to every worker in America.

Reform the food industry

Large food corporations should not make record-breaking profits making
children addicted to processed foods, which make them overweight and
prone to diabetes and other diseases. As a start, we must ban
junk-food ads targeted to kids and put strong warning labels on
products high in sugar, salt and saturated fat. Longer term, we can
rebuild rural America with family farms that are producing healthy,
nutritious food.

Raise the minimum wage to a living wage

Millions of workers should not have to worry about how they’ll pay
the rent or buy food for their kids. Working-class Americans live far
shorter lives than the rich because of the stress of trying to survive
on a paycheck-to-paycheck existence. Stress kills. Stress makes us
sick. We must raise the minimum wage to at least $17 an hour.

Lower the work week to 32 hours with no loss of pay

People will live longer and healthier lives if they can spend more
time with family and friends and have the opportunity to enjoy their
leisure time. Advancements in technology, automation and artificial
intelligence must benefit workers, not just billionaires on Wall
Street or in Silicon Valley.

Combat the epidemic of loneliness, isolation and mental illness

Too many Americans are struggling with intense anxiety and “diseases
of despair” – alcoholism, drug addiction and even suicide. Not
only do we need to greatly increase access to mental healthcare, we
must rebuild our sense of community and create a culture in which we
better enjoy and appreciate each other as human beings. We must also
take a very hard look at the impact smartphones and social media are
having on our mental and physical health.

Address the climate and environmental crisis

Every American is affected when the Earth’s temperature rises and
the air we breathe is polluted. Climate crisis and extreme weather
disturbances will cause more widespread suffering and disease,
economic disruptions and population dislocation. Air pollution is a
major risk factor for respiratory and heart disease, cancer and other
health problems. The fossil-fuel industry cannot be allowed to
continue making us sick, shortening our lives and destroying the
planet.

Create a high-quality public education system

Life-long education is a human right and should be obtainable for all
in a wealthy nation like ours. Health, life expectancy and economic
wellbeing are often tied to educational attainment. Instead of
spending $1tn a year on the military we should make certain that all
Americans, from childcare to graduate school, are able to enjoy free,
high-quality education and job training.

Let’s be clear. The way forward to creating a healthy society is not
radical or complicated. Many of the components that I’ve outlined
already exist, in one form or another, in numerous countries
throughout the world.

Our real problem is not so much a healthcare crisis as it is a
political and economic one. We need to end the unprecedented level of
corporate greed we are experiencing. We need to create a government
and economy that works for all and not just the wealthy and powerful
few.

_Bernie Sanders [[link removed]] is a US senator, and
chair of the health education labor and pensions committee. He
represents the state of Vermont, and is the
longest-serving independent
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Congress_

_The Guardian [[link removed]] is globally renowned
for its coverage of politics, the environment, science, social
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* Bernie Sanders
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* Health Care
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* Social Security
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* Medicare
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* Medicare for All
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* Medicaid
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