Support for Medicare for All Grows; Patients Would Keep Their Doctors, Ditch Their Insurers
Welcome to “We’ve Got You Covered,” a weekly tipsheet we are launching today to highlight key news about Medicare for All and call out the biggest industry lies and falsehoods about universal health care. Public Citizen is a longtime advocate of Medicare for All and has deep policy and grassroots advocacy expertise. Please send tips, feedback and questions to Mike Stankiewicz at mstankiewicz@citizen.org.
C’MON. WHO REALLY LIKES THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY?
Industry forces with a vested interest in keeping the status quo are trying to scare patients by warning that they will “lose their insurance.” These industry scaremongers are blurring the line between health care and the giant insurance corporations that may block access to care.
Under Medicare for All, patients can keep their doctors but ditch their insurance companies. Private insurers would have a dramatically reduced role in our health system, limited to mostly cosmetic and lifestyle procedures. Medicare for All would improve the scope of coverage for everyone and provide comprehensive coverage, including inpatient and outpatient services, medication, and preventive, dental, vision and long-term care. The more than 30 million currently uninsured would be covered, and copays, deductibles and other fees would be eliminated.
RISING IN THE POLLS
As Medicare for All continues to be a top election issue, Republicans and the insurance industry are continuing to attack this incredibly popular policy, which a majority of Americans support, according to recent polls.
A nationwide poll by Politico and Morning Consult released last week found that 65% of Democrats would be more likely to support a candidate who backs Medicare for All, showing increasing momentum ahead of 2020.
REMINDER: According to a study from the Political Economy Research Institute at of the University of Massachusetts, Medicare for All would cost 10 percent less annually compared to our current health care system.
To speak with a Medicare for All policy expert, or if you have questions about Public Citizen’s work, please contact Mike Stankiewicz at mstankiewicz@citizen.org or (202) 588-7779.