February, 01 2011, 02:44pm EDT
Kucinich: Federal Court Action on Health Care Builds Momentum for Medicare for All
Vermont’s Efforts to Improve Health Care will Help Pave the Way
WASHINGTON
After
a federal judge in Florida struck down the Affordable Care Act, calling
it unconstitutional, and a world renowned health care economist laid
out a plan for Vermont to improve the accessibility, quality of care and
cost of the Affordable Care Act, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
released the following statement:
"Yesterday's
decision by U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson in Florida is the latest
signal that the inevitable march to Medicare for All is gaining speed.
If the Affordable Care Act is ultimately struck down by the Supreme
Court, Congress must step up to ensure universal access to affordable,
high-quality health care.
decision by U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson in Florida is the latest
signal that the inevitable march to Medicare for All is gaining speed.
If the Affordable Care Act is ultimately struck down by the Supreme
Court, Congress must step up to ensure universal access to affordable,
high-quality health care.
"Expanding
Medicare to everyone in the U.S. is not only constitutional, but would
cover everyone for medically necessary services with no copayments,
deductibles or premiums. It would increase the quality of care, and
would cost less than we currently pay for health care. It would get the
for-profit insurance companies, who make money by not providing health
care, out of the equation.
Medicare to everyone in the U.S. is not only constitutional, but would
cover everyone for medically necessary services with no copayments,
deductibles or premiums. It would increase the quality of care, and
would cost less than we currently pay for health care. It would get the
for-profit insurance companies, who make money by not providing health
care, out of the equation.
"Currently,
states are creating their own momentum by exposing the myth that
Medicare for All is not politically possible. California's legislature
has passed similar bills three times and now has a new governor with a
more supportive record. Pennsylvania's bill has strong bipartisan
interest and one of its largest advocacy groups has elected a Republican
former member of Pennsylvania's legislature as its president.
states are creating their own momentum by exposing the myth that
Medicare for All is not politically possible. California's legislature
has passed similar bills three times and now has a new governor with a
more supportive record. Pennsylvania's bill has strong bipartisan
interest and one of its largest advocacy groups has elected a Republican
former member of Pennsylvania's legislature as its president.
"Most
promising is Vermont, where the newly elected governor, Peter Shumlin,
ran on a platform that called for a 'Medicare for All' type system. The
Vermont legislature asked Harvard's Dr. William Hsiao, who has helped to
set up health care systems in several countries, to investigate health
care options for Vermont. He found that using a Medicare for All type
system to provide health care for all Vermonters would 'produce savings
of 25.3% of total health expenditure between 2015 and 2024.'
promising is Vermont, where the newly elected governor, Peter Shumlin,
ran on a platform that called for a 'Medicare for All' type system. The
Vermont legislature asked Harvard's Dr. William Hsiao, who has helped to
set up health care systems in several countries, to investigate health
care options for Vermont. He found that using a Medicare for All type
system to provide health care for all Vermonters would 'produce savings
of 25.3% of total health expenditure between 2015 and 2024.'
"It
is clear that ailing state budgets, skyrocketing health care costs, the
judicial rejection of the Affordable Care Act, and a successful state
implementation of a Medicare for All health care system could set the
stage for a new era of health care in this nation," said Kucinich.
is clear that ailing state budgets, skyrocketing health care costs, the
judicial rejection of the Affordable Care Act, and a successful state
implementation of a Medicare for All health care system could set the
stage for a new era of health care in this nation," said Kucinich.
Kucinich
was a co-author of Medicare for All, H.R. 676, in the 111th Congress.
The bill is expected to be reintroduced in the 112th Congress as well.
was a co-author of Medicare for All, H.R. 676, in the 111th Congress.
The bill is expected to be reintroduced in the 112th Congress as well.
Dennis Kucinich is an American politician. A U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013, he was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008.
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