With the AHCA defeated, progressive legislators and organizations are setting their sights on a push for Medicare-for-all, single-payer universal health insurance. The Huffington Post article linked notes that it is a non-starter in a Republican-controlled congress, "[b]ut the proactive strategy speaks to increasing confidence among progressives that if they stick to their ideals and build a grassroots movement around them, they will ultimately move the political spectrum in their direction."
It may also open a window for meaningful, positive steps in that direction to be enacted, such as allowing older Americans to buy into Medicare, which could have positive impacts on the ACA health exchanges because the costliest clients may leave the insurance pools.
Michael Moore observed on MSNBC that it is not time for Democrats to be complacent because Republicans and health insurance companies are now essentially counting on the ACA imploding, eating itself, and they will do what they can to essentially make it happen. "These people are out to make your lives a living hell," he tells Drumpf supporters in Michigan. "Democrats, you have to get this fixed."
Bernie Sanders, of course, will introduce a Medicare-for-all bill in the Senate. He previously introduced similar legislation in 2009 and 2011, to no avail.
No comments:
Post a Comment