|
Hi,
Your teeth are part of your body, right?
Not according to Medicare. Medicare doesn't cover basic dental services, such as cleanings, fillings, dentures, and more. That could all change -- unless Joe Manchin gets his way.
The Senate's $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill includes the largest expansion of Medicare in decades, lowering the eligibility age and including dental, vision, and hearing care.1 It's a huge step toward Medicare for All.
But Joe Manchin has been on record this year opposing Medicare expansion.2 Just yesterday he vowed to slash the size of the $3.5 trillion plan, for no good reason, alongside a handful of fellow right-wing Democrats in the House, jeopardizing Medicare expansion and putting seniors' health at risk.
The fight to expand Medicare is one of the most important battles of 2021, and it will be decided in the next few weeks. We need you to send Congress a message right now that you want this to become law!
Sign the petition: Teeth are part of the body! Congress must expand Medicare now.
Every year, millions of Americans file bankruptcy due to medical bills.3 One in four Americans avoids medical care due to cost.4 Recent studies have shown that the cost of care with insurance varies widely--and is sometimes greater than the cash price of certain procedures.5 Things don't have to be this way.
Medicare expansion would change American healthcare. It would help senior citizens get hearing aids, ensure that Medicare patients have fair prices for prescription drugs, and that millions more Americans get quality healthcare.
Right now, the biggest obstacle to expanding Medicare isn't coming from Republicans. It's Joe Manchin and his fellow right-wing Democrats in the House and the Senate who are obstructing the path to better healthcare.
Although President Biden and Speaker Pelosi have agreed that the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the reconciliation plan both need to pass, Manchin and these other right-wing Democrats are trying to undermine the reconciliation bill that includes Medicare expansion, demanding huge cuts and threatening the deals that made these bills possible.
These conservative obstructionists collected over $1.2 million from pharmaceutical companies that stand to lose profit from fair negotiations with Medicare providers.6
We need to make it clear to everyone in Congress: Medicare expansion must happen. If we are not loud enough, Manchin and the conservatives will get their way, and we will lose our best chance to expand Medicare.
Tell Congress: Don't listen to the obstructionists! Expand Medicare now.
Thanks for taking action,
Tal and the team at Demand Progress
Sources:
1. CNBC, "Senate approves framework of $3.5 trillion budget plan that would expand Medicare, tax credits and climate initiatives," August 11, 2021.
2. Washington Post, "Democrats seek to push Medicare expansion as part of Biden’s $1.8 trillion families plan, defying White House," April 29, 2021.
3. CNBC, "This is the real reason most Americans file for bankruptcy," August 11, 2021.
4. CNBC, "Nearly 1-in-4 Americans Are Skipping Medical Care Because of the Cost," March 11, 2020.
5. New York Times, "Hospitals and Insurers Didn't Want You to See These Prices. Here's Why." August 22, 2021.
6. Daily Poster, "Dem Obstructionists Are Bankrolled By Pharma And Oil," August 23, 2021.
PAID FOR BY DEMAND PROGRESS (DemandProgress.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Join our online community on Facebook or Twitter.
You can unsubscribe from this list at any time.