General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRev. Dr. William J. Barber II @RevDrBarber: If we don't see the need for universal health care
Link to tweet
There is only one reason we don't have it.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Big money interests profit by deliberately denying healthcare to US residents.
BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)Thank you.
BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)Why we need improved Medicare for All
Whatever public health measures we can put in place to address COVID-19 are sadly limited by the awful state of our health care financing apparatus, and by the threadbare nature of our social safety net.
Congress can have a positive immediate impact by passing protections for workers, creating medical sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants, and eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for patients undergoing testing and treatment for COVID-19. But the only permanent solution is to enact a single-payer national health program that would:
Cover all U.S. residents for all medically necessary care;
Totally eliminate out-of-pocket spending;
Guarantee appropriate health resources in all communities based on medical need;
Increase public health spending and invest in research to improve population health; and
Maintain the capacity to respond to nationwide crises in a unified manner.
COVID-19 is just one dramatic example of our failure to care for vulnerable patients and marginalized populations. To the extent that Congress passes laudable reforms, those reforms should not be allowed to expire, but should act as a catalyst in our push for single-payer reform.
If a concerted focus on public health is required to address the current crisis, then it is also required to address the ongoing crisis.
Organizing during the COVID-19 pandemic
https://pnhp.org/covid-19-and-medicare-for-all/