House Democrats to form 'Medicare for All' Caucus
by Kimberly Leonard
| July 18, 2018 03:23 PM
Roughly a third of House Democrats are forming a new caucus that will push for healthcare legislation to roll all U.S residents into the Medicare program.
The "Medicare for All" Caucus of 60 founding members will be announced Thursday morning and co-chaired by Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, and Debbie Dingell of Michigan.
Ellison, who is also deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is the lead House Democrat behind the Expanded and Improved Medicare For All Act, which has the support of more than 120 of 193 Democrats in the House.
Medicare currently covers adults 65 and older and people with disabilities. The "Medicare for All" plan would move all people in the U.S. from private health insurance, Medicaid and being uninsured, to being covered by the Medicare program.
Under the proposal, the government would be the sole payer for healthcare services, from mental health to emergency care and prescription drugs. People who now receive private medical coverage under a job would lose that plan to receive Medicare instead, and their employers would pay higher taxes rather than pay for the cost of private plans.
On the Senate side, the Medicare for All Act was reintroduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and has the unprecedented support of 16 Democratic senators.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/house-democrats-to-form-medicare-for-all-caucus
