Community | May 10, 2011 | 71 comments

BIG NEWS: Single-Payer, Medicare-for-All Legislation Introduced

May 10, 2011

WASHINGTON, May 10 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced today that he introduced legislation to provide health care for every American through a Medicare-for-all type single-payer system.

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) filed a companion bill in the House to provide better care for more patients at less cost by eliminating the middle-man role played by private insurance companies that rake off billions of dollars in profits.

The twin measures, both called the American Health Security Act of 2011, would provide federal guidelines and strong minimum standards for states to administer single-payer health care programs.

"The United States is the only major nation in the industrialized world that does not guarantee health care as right to its people," Sanders said at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "Meanwhile, we spend about twice as much per capita on health care with worse results than others that spend far less. It is time that we bring about a fundamental transformation of the American health care system. It is time for us to end private, for-profit participation in delivering basic coverage. It is time for the United States to provide a Medicare-for-all single-payer health coverage program."

McDermott said, "The new health care law made big progress towards covering many more people and finding ways to lower cost. However, I think the best way to reduce costs and guarantee coverage for all is through a Single-payer system like Medicare. This bill does just that - it builds on the new health care law by giving states the flexibility they need to go to a single-payer system of their own. It will also reduce costs, and Americans will be healthier."

Sanders and McDermott were joined at the press conference by leaders of organizations supporting the measure, including Arlene Baker-Holt, executive vice president of the AFL-CIO; Jean Ross, co-president of the National Nurses United; and Greg Junemann, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.

While making the case for a single-payer system nationwide, Sanders applauded the Vermont Legislature which earlier this month voted to put the state on the path toward a single-payer system. Vermont, Sanders said, could become a model for the nation.

Last year's health reform law is projected to cover 32 million more Americans. Despite that important step forward, however, 23 million people living in the United States will remain uninsured by the end of this decade while health care costs continue to skyrocket. Some 60 million Americans, both insured and uninsured, have inadequate access to primary care due to a shortage of physicians and other like providers in their community.

Under the current health care system, 45,000 Americans a year die because they delay seeking care they cannot afford. Health care eats up one-fifth of the U.S. economy, but we rank 26th among major, developed nations on life expectancy and 31st on infant mortality.

Drug companies charge Americans twice as much or more for the exact same drugs manufactured by the exact same companies than citizens of Canada or Europe. Some insurers that gouge policy holders spend 40 cents of every premium dollar on administration and profits while lavishing multimillion dollar payouts on their CEOs.

"This is unacceptable," Sanders said. "Until we put patients over profits, our system will not work for ordinary Americans."
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71 comments // BIG NEWS: Single-Payer, Medicare-for-All Legislation Introduced

  • kgMA
    • +1
      kgMA  

    • Bernie Sanders! If we only had a few hundred like him in Congress, this country wouldn't be as screwed up as it is! Thank you Senator Sanders!

    • 2 years ago
  • changeweneed
    • 0
      changeweneed  

    • Good news. If we just used the approach that people and planet come first, We can overcome many of our issues. There are enough resources for everyone to pursue happiness. Healthcare shouldn't even be in question. Fingers crossed here too.

    • 2 years ago
  • Joeydee44
    • +1
      Joeydee44  

    • I think it's an important step but I wonder if it should've waited until after the 2012 elections when the tea leaves will change back to the Dems' favor. I just don't see it passing the house in this session of Congress.

    • 2 years ago
  • twinite
  • extracrazykiwi2008
  • Dirk_Diggler
    • +8
      Dirk_Diggler [removed]  
    • Image

    • If you are STILL against health care reform you are;

      - easily duped by disinforma­tion and fearmonger­ing
      -being paid by some lobbyist and owe your soul to them as long as you are voted back in
      -are a member of the republican party and vote according to what Ru.sh Limbaugh or Karl R.ove tells you to
      -are white and cannot be for ANYTHING that a black man is (even if he is right)
      -are rich and just don't care
      -HAVE insurance paid for you and just don't care
      -HAVE never been sick and just don't care or think about it
      -don't believe the mound of truth in statistics that the system is broken
      -don't care that YOU pay 1000 dollars for everybody that uses emergency rooms without insurance
      -don't care if people suffer with the worry of paying health bills or that they lose everything they have along with their families( inclusive of innocent children )
      -don't care that 62% of personal bankruptci­es are related to medical bills
      .don't care that single payer is the best and most efficient system implemente­d in most other western
      democracie­s
      -don't care that people may d1e as a result from one or all of the above..

      HOW is that American ? or even human -- ?

      Health care reform PASSED and along with it comes the decimation of the party of NO !

      Regards,
      Dirk

    • 2 years ago
  • mspray11
    • +2
      mspray11  

    • Bernie is on the right track. If you understand the American mind, you know that we tend to forget issues real fast and move on to the next one. Even if this thing goes nowhere, we will be reminded again of how good things should be.

    • 2 years ago
  • August_K
    • +3
      August_K  

    • "This bill does just that - it builds on the new health care law by giving states the flexibility they need to go to a single-payer system of their own. It will also reduce costs, and Americans will be healthier."

      Sure sounds good. There's also part of the Affordable Health Care Act that allows for Direct Primary Care......it's like a monthly membership fee. No insurance company involved and it keeps the Doctors costs down so much that some charge as little as $49 per month...some charge more.... $100 per month. Some even include lab work, x-rays....and longer office visits.
      It offers most of the care you'd get from a urgent care clinic.
      Medicines/drugs cost extra.

      Doctors in several states have these types of systems set up already...some have had them for decades now and this type of health care system is growing and from what I've read....Dr. and patients really like it. It takes the greedy insurers out of the picture and returns health care to where it should be.....between Dr. and patient.

      Add a catastrophic policy in addition to the yearly direct pay cost and you'd probably have everything covered at a substantial savings....... and have much better care.

    • 2 years ago
  • August_K
    • +6
      August_K  

    • Gotta love Bernie Sanders. He's always been a man of the people and he's never been shy about exposing the GOP for their anti-working people agenda.

    • 2 years ago
  • ThirdSection
  • artemis6
  • TheAmbivalante
    • +5
      TheAmbivalante  

    • The Insurance Lobby is such a good idea (sarcasm). Competition will make prices go down (sarcasm). Insurance companies deliver benefits without hesitation and in total (sarcasm). Insurance companies will take care of you no matter how long you're sick (sarcasm). Pharma Companies want to supply cheap drugs (lots of sarcasm) to everyone.

      Warren, Medicare works just fine.
      Holes are filled.
      Fraudsters are found out and prosecuted.

      I think everyone should be able to see a doctor and get basic health care without going broke. What do you think? Better yet, what does America think?

      I'll tell you. Two out of three Americans want it extended to all.

      Warren, ahem, "You're out of the mainstream."

      Prepare to pay more taxes!

    • 2 years ago
  • Warren_Merrill
    • -10
      Warren_Merrill  

    • Medicare is such a good plan (sarcasm). It costs the government too much. A person pays into Part A every paycheck for about 45 years before benefits start. When they retire they pay about $100 per month for Part B. Then there are so many holes they need a supplement. Then there's all the fraud. Yep! Let's give it to everyone (more sarcasm).

    • 2 years ago
  • Warren_Merrill
  • observer2121
  • observer2121
  • Leen61
    • +8
      Leen61  

    • I think Bernie just wants to get the Reps on record against a very popular piece of legislation. Looks like he's wanting to put the Reps between a rock and a hard place come 2012 campaign season. But I know Bernie truly wants single-payer. And look at it this way, making Congress have to debate this and take a vote, keeps them from introducing any more anti-abortion legislation or any other attacks on women.

    • 2 years ago
  • GRC54
    • +8
      GRC54  
    • Leen61:

      He is the last of the smartest pols in the senate. When you listen to him he speaks the truth from the heart. He symbolizes the America that should be and women's issues are dear to him.
      When we lost Teddy K here in Mass we lost the other smartest pol in the senate.
      Keep the Elephants off balance enougn that they all fall down. Watch the richter scale go crazy.

    • 2 years ago
  • Leen61
  • kgMA
    • 0
      kgMA  
    • GRC54:

      If people voted on past records, they would see that he is not only one of the smartest Senators in Washington, but the only Senator with a heart and compassion as well! Bernie should be President!

    • 2 years ago
  • sammykatz
  • August_K
  • sammykatz
    • +4
      sammykatz  
    • August_K:

      Augie: I would love to have Bernie as president, although I doubt Bernie would run for POTUS even were his age not against him; he, as with the late Ted Kennedy, serve the American people best right where they are/were. Imagine the amount of cash the Koch's et al would have spent to prevent a Sanders win!! Have a great day...

    • 2 years ago
  • noxidereus
  • tlbuffin
  • Persecuted
  • Milieu
  • August_K
  • Joeydee44
  • MDBard
    • +4
      MDBard  

    • If this goes through I can finally afford to see a doctor....maybe even a dentist. I haven't went to either forever I bet my health is really shot to shit.

    • 2 years ago
  • Warren_Merrill
  • August_K
    • +2
      August_K  
    • MDBard:

      Look up Direct Primary Care and see if someone in your area has it.

      I posted about it up above. No insurance companies....you pay directly to the Doctor and some is very reasonable. $49-$100 per month with tests and stuff included.

    • 2 years ago
  • kgMA
    • +1
      kgMA  
    • Warren_Merrill:

      Medicare Buy In for All would be a hell of a lot cheaper then what private insurance cost today! Nobody is looking for handouts. People just want control over an industry that is out of control! Health care and energy are both examples of a product that is a necessary evil and without it, people will suffer or die! I guess if money isn't a problem, your life can be a real bitch when it comes to helping people live a better life! After all, who do these people think they are? Why should they have affordable heath care and home heating oil! Excuse me while I gag!

    • 2 years ago
  • SoCalFramer
  • Arizona_Huey
    • +6
      Arizona_Huey  

    • Bernie ROCKS!!!! I can only hope that the citizens of this country wake up and realize that this legislation is crucial to the health and well being of our country and its inhabitants!!! Unless you are one of the upper 2% of the wage earning chart, you will need to have health insurance you can afford.

    • 2 years ago
  • totally_dilapidated
  • tlbuffin
  • Leen61
  • tlbuffin
  • Leen61
  • Wicks934
  • JohnA
  • totally_dilapidated
  • Bazinga
    • +6
      Bazinga  
    • JohnA:

      Well, considering all other industrialized countries pay way less per capita to provide health care for all their citizens, I'm sure the US will be able to manage if you can just look at other countries and say "Hey, wow, they've done that and it all worked out great. Maybe it won't cause our country to collapse after all." Really this applies to a lot of things, universal health care, same-sex marriage, etc.

    • 2 years ago
  • totally_dilapidated
    • +7
      totally_dilapidated  
    • Bazinga:

      oh oh
      now you've opened the right-wings favorite counter-offensive rhetoric.
      Prepare for a noisy, loud, uneducated plethora of canned political cods wallop beginning with:
      Socialism
      moving onto:
      big government
      over-spending
      higher taxes
      no jobs
      your mother is going to die before a death panel
      etc
      etc
      etc
      just a waterfall of foot-soldier brainwash spewing over the 'scape of rationality.

      So, Bazinga, are you ready for the bath?

    • 2 years ago
  • TheAmbivalante
    • +7
      TheAmbivalante  
    • JohnA:

      I hope it means higher taxes on the wealthy. A lot higher. That way my grandkids won't have to foot the bill for the tax cuts Bush gave them on his way to bankrupting the country.

      As to your concern for how it gets paid for, perhaps you should return to high school government class. It's paid for by us. American citizens. And mostly, the Middle Class. Life costs, johna. And I'm OK with working for it and sending it to government instead of handing it over to insurance companies.

      On a separate note, dipshits ask questions like yours. And while dipshits ask those dipshit questions, bridges collapse, water tables are poisoned, and people die.

      If you want a dead America, pay for nothing. If you want a vibrant, growing America, get used to regulation and taxes. They build roads. They put people in space. They win wars. They keep lead out of your house. They cure disease. They educate children. Government is good.

      It's only bad when Republicans run it.

    • 2 years ago
  • JohnA
    • -5
      JohnA [removed]  
    • Bazinga:

      Yeah, it has sure worked out great for Greece, Ireland, and Portugal, hasn't it. I wish we were like them. Oh wait, no worries, at the rate we are spending money, we will be like them in no time!

    • 2 years ago
  • JohnA
    • -3
      JohnA [removed]  
    • TheAmbivalante:

      The Federal government is corrupt and obscenely wasteful. I am not OK with sending them anymore of my hard earned money unless and until they can prove they can put their fiscal house in order and live within a budget the way millions of Americans have to do. Stop kidding yourself. Bridges are not being built unless it's a tradeoff for some corrupt Senator's earmark. When is the last time we won a war? Oh yeah, World War 2. They have fifteen different bureacratic agencies keeping lead out of my house when one could do the job just fine. When was the last time a disease was cured? Polio, I think? They educate children to what they want them to know. The Federal government has far outlived it's usefulness in my opinion. They are supposed to work for us, not the other way around. When they start dictating to us and mandating how we live our lives, it is time for them to go. The Federal government is evil no matter which side of the two party monopoly happens to be in power at the moment.

    • 2 years ago
  • Bazinga
  • JohnA
  • Arizona_Huey
  • totally_dilapidated
  • tlbuffin
  • totally_dilapidated
  • Persecuted
  • Persecuted
  • tlbuffin
  • totally_dilapidated
  • JohnA
    • -3
      JohnA [removed]  
    • Persecuted:

      Oh they are greedy alright, aren't we all. But at least they are honest about their greed. The Federal government takes your money and pretends it's in your best interest when nothing could be farther from the truth.

    • 2 years ago
  • JohnA
    • -3
      JohnA [removed]  
    • tlbuffin:

      They will all collapse when Germany stops bailing them out. I'm sure the German taxpayer doesn't like it any better than I do, fronting the Euro, keeping it afloat. And who would blame them. Enjoy that copy of your book, when the S&P downgrades our debt, it may be all you have.

    • 2 years ago
  • TheAmbivalante
  • August_K
    • +3
      August_K  
    • JohnA:

      Yeah, you tell the greedy insurers to take a hike and let Doctors be Doctors again without the 40% cost going into extra staff for billing and trying to get paid.

      Same thing my dentist does and her rates are about HALF or less of what others charge.

    • 2 years ago
  • August_K
    • +4
      August_K  
    • JohnA:

      Every country got into trouble because of our Wall Street and bankers worldwide.
      Even our states lost their asses in the near economic meltdown.

      Some countries didn't take a hit....Germany is doing okay and I don't hear the French screaming about their lack of health care...or the Swiss and probably a bunch more.

    • 2 years ago
  • August_K
    • +3
      August_K  
    • JohnA:

      They didn't elect war mongers like Bush either. We had NO huge deficit problems until he went on his crazy spending spree and the GOP agreed to all of it.

    • 2 years ago
  • JohnA
  • JohnA
  • samthesixth
  • observer2121
  • observer2121
    • 0
      observer2121  
    • JohnA:

      Just out of curiosity what has Obama done that you hate so much? What makes him a shit president? My only complaint about him is that he hasn't gone far enough to the left but we didn't get universal healthcare under Clinton either so let's keep things in perspective.

    • 2 years ago
  • observer2121
  • TheAmbivalante
TheAmbivalante
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