"Medicare for All" gets Dem House caucus
The launch of the group comes as more Democrats lend support to the idea, which has long been advocated by Senator Bernie Sanders.
How times have changed. As Republicans continue their efforts to strip the Affordable Care Act of multiple provisions and protections, and as more people are priced out of coverage or disqualified from programs to help them afford it, Democrats in the House are launching a Medicare for All caucus.
The Hill reports that the launch of the group with 60 initial members comes as more Democrats lend support to the idea, which has long been advocated by Senator Bernie Sanders, I-VT. It’s progressed far enough that it’s also popular among numerous potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.
Related: Can a single-payer health system work in the U.S.?
Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal (WA), Debbie Dingell (MI) and Keith Ellison (MN) are leading the group; more are expected to join in weeks to come.
Although it’s short on details at the moment, there’s even a bill: H.R. 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, which has the support of a majority of the House Democratic Caucus. Ellison is its lead sponsor.
There’s also little in the way of specifics on just how the bill would come up with the trillions necessary to put universal health care in place, but that could change now that Democrats are turning their attention to the bill.
It’s likely to have a fair amount of public support, too, which could drive action to come up with the means to finance it. The report cites a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation that found a majority of Americans support single-payer health care.
In fact, 51 percent support it, compared with 43 percent opposed. Of course it’s more popular with Democrats and independents than Republicans—74 percent of Dems and 54 percent of independents support it, while 80 percent of Republicans oppose it—but as it gets tougher and more expensive to get health coverage that covers less than the original ACA did, that could drive the numbers up of those in favor.
“It’s the increasing view of everyone that single-payer is inevitable,” Dan Riffle, spokesman for Ellison, is quoted saying in the report, adding, “It’s going to pass.” The caucus seems determined to make it so.