H.R.3421 - Medicare for All
H.R.3421 - Medicare for All
Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) are today introducing the Medicare for All Act of 2023.
This bill establishes a taxpayer-funded, national health insurance program that is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Among other requirements, the program must (1) cover all U.S. residents; (2) provide for automatic enrollment of individuals upon birth or residency in the United States; and (3) cover items and services that are medically necessary or appropriate to maintain health or to diagnose, treat, or rehabilitate a health condition, including hospital services, prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, dental and vision services, and long-term care.
The bill prohibits cost-sharing (e.g., deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments) and other charges for covered services. Additionally, private health insurers and employers may only offer coverage that is supplemental to, and not duplicative of, benefits provided under the program.
Health insurance exchanges and specified federal health programs terminate upon program implementation. However, the program does not affect coverage provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Indian Health Service.
The bill also establishes a series of implementing provisions relating to (1) health care provider participation; (2) HHS administration; and (3) payments and costs, including the requirement that HHS negotiate prices for prescription drugs.
Individuals who are age 18 or younger, age 55 or older, or already enrolled in Medicare may enroll in the program starting one year after enactment of this bill; other individuals may buy into the program at this time. The program must be fully implemented two years after enactment.
According to bill sponsors, the Medicare for All Act builds upon and expands Medicare to provide comprehensive benefits to every person in the United States. This includes primary care, vision, dental, prescription drugs, mental health, substance abuse, long-term services and supports, reproductive health care, and more. The Medicare for All Act of 2023 also includes universal coverage of long-term care with no cost-sharing for older Americans and individuals with disabilities, and prioritizes home and community-based care over institutional care. Additionally, patients have the freedom to choose the doctors, hospitals, and other providers they wish to see without worrying about whether a provider is in-network. Importantly, the legislation streamlines the healthcare system to negotiate drug prices and reduce exorbitant administrative waste.
“Every American has the right to health care, period. If you’re sick, you should be able to go to the doctor without being worried about the cost of treatment or prescription medicine. The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn’t guarantee all its citizens access to health care,” said Dingell. “The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t create the flaws in our health care system, but it brought to light many of the shortcomings that have caused unnecessary and preventable hardship for countless American families for decades. We’ve been fighting this fight since the 1940s, when my father-in-law helped author the first universal health care bill. It’s time to get this done.”
“We live in a country where millions of people ration lifesaving medication or skip necessary trips to the doctor because of cost,” said Jayapal. “Sadly, the number of people struggling to afford care continues to skyrocket as millions of people lose their current health insurance as pandemic-era programs end. Breaking a bone or getting sick shouldn’t be a reason that people in the richest country in the world go broke. There is a solution to this health crisis — a popular one that guarantees health care to every person as a human right and finally puts people over profits and care over corporations. That solution is Medicare for All — everyone in, nobody out. I’m so proud to fight for this legislation to finally ensure that all people can get the care they need and the care they deserve.”
Against:
Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR): “Our nation’s health care system is in desperate need of repair. Rather than working to fix a system that a vast majority of Americans like, Democrats are once again proposing fiscally irresponsible policies that will radically alter how hundreds of millions get their health care – outlawing the choice of private insurance, eliminating the programs that seniors and people with disabilities rely on for care, and putting the government between you and your doctor. Don’t be misled by slogans and bumper stickers. This is one-size-fits-all health care with choice for no one. With a growing deficit topping $22 trillion, I look forward to hearing from the members ...about how they plan to pay for a $32 trillion-dollar proposal.”
“Rather than disrupt what we have now, let’s build-up on the progress of it,” said Dr. Patrice Harris, president of the AMA. “Ninety percent of folks have health insurance. It really is about the 10% of folks who don’t.”
"Proposals to impose a government-run health care system, such as the pending “Medicare for All” legislation, on the American public would leave most households financially worse off," writes Edmund Haislmaier of the Heritage Foundation. "Workers would have to pay additional taxes—21.2 percent of all wage and salary income—raising the total federal payroll tax rate to 36.5 percent for most workers. Average disposable income (after taxes and private medical expenses) for all households would decline by $5,671 per year. We also find that nearly two-thirds of American households (65.5 percent, comprising 73.5 percent of the population) would pay more in taxes than they would save from no longer paying health insurance premiums and the absence of out-of-pocket medical spending. For households with employer-sponsored insurance, 87.2 percent would be worse off financially."
Do you think Congress should pass H.R.3421, to establish a Medicare for All national health insurance program?
