Press Conference Wednesday: Medicare-for-All Introduced in the U.S. House
Feb. 26, 2019
MEDIA ADVISORY
Press Conference Wednesday: Medicare-for-All Introduced in the U.S. House
The People Demand a Reliable, Affordable Health Care System, and a Plan Is Finally Here
WHAT: Press conference at which U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) will introduce Medicare-for-All legislation.
Leaders from Public Citizen, National Nurses United, Center for Popular Democracy, Business Initiative for Health Policy, the American Federation of Teachers and Physicians for a National Health Program also will speak about the necessity of guaranteed health care for all.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced support for hearings on the legislation, which would be the first time a single-payer health care system will be taken seriously by House leadership. A Medicare-for-All bill is expected to be introduced in the U.S. Senate soon by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
A recent Public Citizen report found that a Medicare-for-All system would reduce administrative costs by $500 billion per year and would cost patients less than employer-sponsored insurance. Medicare-for-All also would allow the government to bargain on behalf of the American people and would reduce the price of health care, including prescription drugs. A January 2019 Harvard/Politico poll found that 68 percent of all voters, including 70 percent of Independents, said providing health insurance coverage for everyone through a taxpayer-funded national plan is a high priority.
“In America, we pay more – much more – for health care than other countries, and we get less – much less,” said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. “Tens of millions go uncovered, tens of millions more find that their insurance doesn’t cover what they need and our health outcomes are inferior to other countries. We can do better. With the Medicare for All Act of 2019, we can provide coverage to every American, expand and improve coverage for every American – all at no additional cost, thanks to the massive waste and inefficiency that Medicare-for-All will eliminate. The time for Medicare-for-All has come.”
WHEN: 11 a.m. EST, Wed., Feb. 27
WHO: U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)
U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.)
U.S. Rep. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.)
U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.)
Robert Weissman, president, Public Citizen
Bonnie Castillo, executive director, National Nurses United
Adam Gaffney, president, Physicians for a National Health Program
Wendell Potter, president, Business Initiative for Health Policy
Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers
Jennifer Epps-Addison, patient and president, Center for Popular Democracy
Andy Brodock, patient
WHERE: House Triangle, outside the Capitol at the northwest corner of Independence Avenue SE and First Street NE, Washington D.C.
LIVESTREAM: The event will be livestreamed here.