Jayapal Renews Medicare for All Call Amid Failing U.S. Healthcare System
TL/DR –
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Senator Bernie Sanders are advocating for a Medicare for All system following a report that highlighted the inefficiency and high costs of the U.S. healthcare system. The report by the Commonwealth Fund revealed that despite high healthcare spending, the U.S. has the worst equity, access to care, and health outcomes among the ten countries studied. Jayapal argues that the existing for-profit healthcare system is failing, creating a high medical debt burden, limiting access to necessary care, and leading to higher rates of death and disease.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Renews Call for Medicare in Wake of Healthcare System Analysis
On Thursday night, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal responded to a new analysis showing the failures of the U.S. for-profit healthcare system by advocating for Medicare for All.
Jayapal and Sen. Bernie Sanders spearheaded the Medicare for All Act, projected to save 68,000 lives and $650 billion annually. The report from The Commonwealth Fund titled Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing U.S. Health System, further supports the need for a healthcare overhaul.
Jayapal enunciated her stance, highlighting how 41% of Americans have medical debt and millions more are uninsured, necessitating universal, single-payer healthcare.
Healthcare System Largely Run by Profit-Driven Insurance Companies
Jayapal points out that the U.S. healthcare system is largely run by private insurance companies, whose primary focus is profit-making, often at the expense of patient care.
The Commonwealth Fund analysis compared 70 health system performance measures across ten countries. The U.S. stood out negatively in terms of equity, access to care, and health outcomes. High spending did not correlate with positive outcomes; on the contrary, the U.S. ranked last in health outcomes, with Americans experiencing the shortest lifespans and highest rates of avoidable deaths.
Jayapal asserts that this is unacceptable and calls for a healthcare overhaul that puts patient care first.
Jayapal’s Vision of Improved Medicare for All
Jayapal aspires for a system that caters to all, regardless of employment status, without copays, deductibles, or private insurance premiums. Medical decisions should be made by physicians, not insurance companies. She advocates for comprehensive Medicare for All, encompassing mental health, long-term care, reproductive care, dental, vision, and hearing, with no hidden fees or additional charges.
While the bill faces challenges in Congress, there is growing demand for a public healthcare system that serves all. Dr. Carrie L. Byington, University of California Health executive vice president, also pointed to the Commonwealth report as evidence of the need for a major healthcare overhaul.
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