Advocating for H.R. 1384 and S. 1129 — National Improved Medicare for All
What would "Improved Medicare for All" mean for you?
YES to Chronic Care
Once again you are headed to the ER. Your child’s asthma has gotten much worse. You know this will be an expensive visit, but she is struggling to breathe. You couldn't afford to refill both inhalers the doctor prescribed at the last visit. They want you to take her to a lung specialist. But that office requires full payment for the first visit because you don't have insurance. At least the ER will take care of her and then offer a payment plan.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, chronic disease preventive care is covered for everyone. This is one of the ways the single-payer system is so cost effective, because preventive care is less expensive than emergency care.
YES to Prevention
Your father died of colon cancer. Your sister told you she had several polyps removed during her recent colonoscopy. She showed you the bill for the procedure. Her insurance only covered 1/4 of the total amount, but even that is more than a month’s rent for you. You don't have any insurance, so you would have to pay the full price. You have seen a little blood in the toilet. You don't know what to do.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, preventive care and vaccines are covered in full. Screening for common diseases will be also be paid for, and if something is found you will be treated without additional cost.
YES to Job Freedom
You have worked for your present employer for 3 years. Another opportunity has come your way. You want to move on to more interesting work and a higher pay rate. It would mean relocation and better work opportunities for your spouse. But the new employer has a different insurance benefit, one that does not cover an expensive medication that you need daily.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, healthcare is not related to employment. Eligibility for healthcare will be seamless no matter where you work or live. And employers will no longer be charged with the difficult and costly requirement of providing a healthcare benefit to their employees.
NO Exclusions
Your young adult child has been diagnosed with a serious mental health problem. Your family has been through a long and frightening experience. Your physician has recommended a psychiatrist, and you are anxious to get your child started in treatment. You have searched for a doctor who is in network. However, your insurance company has denied the pre-authorization request to pay for treatment. You are notified that your policy does not cover mental health issues.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, comprehensive coverage includes mental health and all other medically necessary services.
NO Deductible
You have a chronic medical problem that is causing you to miss work. You need to see a doctor. But you haven’t met the $3000 annual deductible and you do not have the $30 co-pay for each office visit. It is hard enough just to cover groceries, utility bills, rent, and medical expenses for your children. You are worried about losing your job and losing your insurance if you can't work.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, there are NO PREMIUMS, NO DEDUCTIBLES, NO CO-PAYS, NO EXTRA FEES! While you are working you will have a payroll deduction, like the Medicare tax you are now paying. For almost everyone this will be much less than their current insurance premium, co-pays, and deductibles.
NO Network
You are pregnant for the second time and need to start prenatal care soon. You had some difficulties in your first pregnancy, and you would like to see the obstetrician who took care of you last time. You trust her, and she is familiar with your case. But your employer has changed insurance companies, and your obstetrician is no longer “in network.” Seeing her will be very expensive.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, there are NO NETWORKS. You can see any provider you like and not be forced to change practitioners — it’s your choice. There are no insurance companies to come between you and your doctor.
NO Bankruptcy
A family member has a very serious health problem that has required multiple hospitalizations and extensive care at home. Your insurance has reached its lifetime cap and will no longer cover your bills. For several months you have left household bills unpaid in order to provide the care needed. Now you fear losing your house or going bankrupt.
THE GOOD NEWS IS that under national improved Medicare for All, there are NO LIFETIME CAPS! Everyone will get all medically necessary care no matter the cost.
Obamacare eliminated lifetime caps. If it is repealed, insurance companies will again be allowed to set caps.
What is National Improved Medicare for All/Single-Payer?
How Would National Improved Medicare for All / Single-Payer Work?
- A single-payer healthcare system would provide comprehensive healthcare for everyone from birth to death.
- If you change jobs, lose your job, start a business, or get divorced—your benefits would stay the same.
- You would be able to keep your doctors/practitioners because there would be no networks to be in or out of.
- You would not need to delay or avoid seeing a doctor because of out-of-pocket expenses.
- Healthcare would be publicly funded in the same way we pool our taxes to pay for police, fire protection, education, roads, public parks, and the military—regardless of how much we use these public services. Everyone would be in one risk pool.
- You would no longer pay premiums, co-payments, or deductibles to private health insurance companies that put profit over medical needs. (Private insurance would only be for non-medically necessary care, such as cosmetic surgery.)
- Our healthcare dollars would be spent on healthcare, decided by you and your doctor, not on health insurance with its wasteful and unnecessary administrative costs, the goal of which is denial of care.
- Two different (but somewhat similar) bills in the U.S. Congress would establish Medicare for All: H.R. 1384, the Medicare For All Act of 2019 in the House, and S. 1129, the Medicare for All Act of 2019 in the Senate.
H.R. 1384 — Medicare for All Act of 2019
Currently with more than 107 cosponsors in the House.
- Everyone is covered from birth to death.
- All medically necessary care is covered, including preventive care, office visits, reproductive care, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, surgery, vision, dental, hearing, mental health, emergency, labs, diagnostic procedures, prescriptions, and long-term care for all U.S. residents.
- There are no premiums, copays, or deductibles.
- Patients choose any practitioner and hospital. There will be no networks to be “out of.”
Additional details available from Physicians for a National Health Program.
See Reference Materials for additional information about the bills.
S. 1129 — Medicare for All Act of 2019
Currently with more than 13 cosponsors in the Senate.
- Everyone is automatically covered at birth. After a four-year phase-in period, the law will cover everyone from birth to death.
- All medically necessary care is covered — including preventive care, office visits, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, surgery, vision, dental, hearing, mental health, emergency, labs, diagnostic procedures, home and community-based long-term care services, and prescriptions, with some copays for brand name drugs. Institutional long-term care will continue under Medicaid.
- After a 4-year phase-in, there are no premiums, copays, or deductibles.
- The average family will save thousands of dollars a year.
- Patients choose any practitioner and hospital. There are no networks to be “out of.” The only practitioners or facilities not in the plan are those who opt out of the system to cater to self-pay patients. Those physicians or facilities are barred from participating in Medicare for All.
Who is EPSPAN?
Our vision: Universal Healthcare in the form of national improved Medicare for all, single-payer healthcare. Work with us to pass H.R. 1384 and S. 1129. EPSPAN members include healthcare providers and non-medical people in the Eastern Panhandle of WV. We have been working together since 2008. EPSPAN is:
- Part of a nationwide movement building the critical mass needed to achieve national Improved Medicare for All / single-payer healthcare
- A chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program
- Affiliated with Healthcare-Now!
- A member of Health Over Profit
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House Medicare for All Act of 2019, H.R.1384
- Full text of H.R. 1384
- Two-page summary of H.R. 1384 (PDF)
- Medicare for All Act of 2019 Section-by-Section summary (PDF)
- 'The Time for Medicare for All Has Come’: Jayapal Unveils Visionary Bill to Remake US Healthcare System
- PNHP endorses the Medicare for All Act of 2019
Senate Medicare for All Act of 2019, S.1129
- Full text of S.1129
- Summary of S. 1129 (PDF)
- Physicians for a National Health Program summary, suggestions for improvement, and links to additional resources
- Financing Medicare for All White Paper by Senator Sanders (PDF)
Additional Resources
- Public Option: Myths and Facts (PDF)
- Single-Payer FAQ
- Medicare for All University, Medicare for All Basics
- Incrementalism as an Obstacle to Improved Medicare for All and How We Resist It
- The conservative case for single-payer
- Can a Single Payer Health System Work in the U.S.?, a debate between Michael Tanner, Cato Institute and Dr. Margaret Flowers, Health Over Profit, PNHP on C-Span National Journal
- 10 Questions About Healthcare, Answered, the Sanders Institute
Selected Organizations
Fix It — Healthcare at the
Tipping Point
Resources:
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Local Online Forum Sept 21
