As Democrats debate, powerful labor union questions impact of Medicare for All

[RandySF]

LAS VEGAS — How union benefits would be affected by Democratic presidential candidates’ health insurance plans will likely get national attention tonight as six of the contenders seeking to oust President Donald Trump face off.

That is true even with much of the attention expected to focus on the newcomer to the stage, billionaire former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

Culinary Workers Local 226 is always a big deal in Nevada politics, but the union's critique of “Medicare for All” government-run coverage has put them even more in the spotlight ahead of Saturday's Democratic caucus here.

The union last week criticized plans to establish a single-payer health care system, which would transition everyone in the United States to a government insurance plan that would cover medically-necessary services. Such a plan would effectively eliminate private insurance coverage that unions have fought to get for members in negotiations over the years.

Some Democratic presidential hopefuls are proposing a public option, which would create a government-run plan to compete with private plans on the insurance exchanges set up under the 2010 health care law.



https://www.rollcall.com/2020/02/19/as-democrats-debate-powerful-labor-union-questions-impact-of-medicare-for-all/