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"Why is it that other major countries can guarantee universal health care for half--literally half--the cost of what the United States spends, and yet we can't do it?" asked Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) as she introduced her new legislation on Wednesday. (Photo: @Public_Citizen/Twitter)
Surrounded by fellow co-sponsors and scores of supporters, Rep. Pramila Jayapal officially introduced the 'Medicare for All Act of 2019' on Tuesday, arguing that the nation's for-profit system has failed its people and the time for a more affordable and universal healthcare system is now.
"Every day too many Americans are sick and dying because they can't afford insulin or cancer treatments, and that is even as the price of prescription drugs is soaring and the price of insurance premiums is going up by double digits overnight," Jayapal declared during introductory remarks outside the U.S. Capitol Building.
"Americans are filled with worry - foreclosing on homes, cutting their pills at the kitchen table in half to tried to make them stretch out longer, and not going to the doctor unless it's an emergency," she continued. "Two-thirds of bankruptcies in the United States of America are because of medical issues. And GoFundMe is becoming one of the most popular insurance plans in the country."
And so, she asked, "Why is it that other major countries can guarantee universal health care for half--literally half--the cost of what the United States spends, and yet we can't do it?"
The reason, she explained, "It comes down to a profit-making motive that is baked into a system - a system that puts profits over patients."
Watch the "absolute must-watch" portion of her introduction:
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Surrounded by fellow co-sponsors and scores of supporters, Rep. Pramila Jayapal officially introduced the 'Medicare for All Act of 2019' on Tuesday, arguing that the nation's for-profit system has failed its people and the time for a more affordable and universal healthcare system is now.
"Every day too many Americans are sick and dying because they can't afford insulin or cancer treatments, and that is even as the price of prescription drugs is soaring and the price of insurance premiums is going up by double digits overnight," Jayapal declared during introductory remarks outside the U.S. Capitol Building.
"Americans are filled with worry - foreclosing on homes, cutting their pills at the kitchen table in half to tried to make them stretch out longer, and not going to the doctor unless it's an emergency," she continued. "Two-thirds of bankruptcies in the United States of America are because of medical issues. And GoFundMe is becoming one of the most popular insurance plans in the country."
And so, she asked, "Why is it that other major countries can guarantee universal health care for half--literally half--the cost of what the United States spends, and yet we can't do it?"
The reason, she explained, "It comes down to a profit-making motive that is baked into a system - a system that puts profits over patients."
Watch the "absolute must-watch" portion of her introduction:
Surrounded by fellow co-sponsors and scores of supporters, Rep. Pramila Jayapal officially introduced the 'Medicare for All Act of 2019' on Tuesday, arguing that the nation's for-profit system has failed its people and the time for a more affordable and universal healthcare system is now.
"Every day too many Americans are sick and dying because they can't afford insulin or cancer treatments, and that is even as the price of prescription drugs is soaring and the price of insurance premiums is going up by double digits overnight," Jayapal declared during introductory remarks outside the U.S. Capitol Building.
"Americans are filled with worry - foreclosing on homes, cutting their pills at the kitchen table in half to tried to make them stretch out longer, and not going to the doctor unless it's an emergency," she continued. "Two-thirds of bankruptcies in the United States of America are because of medical issues. And GoFundMe is becoming one of the most popular insurance plans in the country."
And so, she asked, "Why is it that other major countries can guarantee universal health care for half--literally half--the cost of what the United States spends, and yet we can't do it?"
The reason, she explained, "It comes down to a profit-making motive that is baked into a system - a system that puts profits over patients."
Watch the "absolute must-watch" portion of her introduction: