ABC News by Shefali Luthra 2/28/2019
Members of the House on Wednesday offered their version of a “Medicare-for-all†bill that is broader than what’s been put forth by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose 2016 presidential run pushed the issue into the political mainstream.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) unveiled the “Medicare for All Act of 2019,†which redefines what the change in health care coverage might mean. The specifics included in the bill could play a role in the upcoming Democratic presidential primary campaign because candidates seeking support from the party’s progressive wing leverage the phrase. But often, they use it to mean various things.
Is this bill so different from Medicare-for-all proposals that have come before? And why would those differences matter? Here are the essential takeaways:
In terms of the policy 411, the Jayapal-Dingell bill includes provisions not in other proposals.
In many ways, the proposal sounds familiar: The government would establish a health plan that pays for basically all forms of medical care for all citizens. That’s how it gets the moniker “Medicare-for-all.â€
Under this plan, patients would not be responsible for any cost sharing of medical expenses, and the government coverage would include hospitals, doctors, preventive care, prescription meds and dental and vision care. Private insurers would not be allowed to sell plans that compete with the government program.
Senior citizens would be folded into the new Medicare plan, which would be more generous than their current coverage, and the government would make sure any medical care they are getting is not disrupted. The bill leaves two other government health care payers intact: the Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service. Beneficiaries enrolled in these programs would have a choice of enrolling in the new Medicare-for-all plan or sticking with their current coverage.
Just like the Sanders bill, the House legislation covers what it calls “comprehensive reproductive health.†Backers say it is meant to cover abortion — a controversial provision. Right now, government-funded health plans are legally prohibited from providing funds for abortions.
There are differences, too. For one, the transition to the new Medicare-for-all system would take place over two years, which would be a fast turnaround for a substantial task. Sanders’ bill suggested a four-year transition.
The biggest difference: This House vision of Medicare-for-all would also cover long-term care. That isn’t part of the Sanders bill, and it is not covered by Medicare. But for people with disabilities and the elderly, it’s a significant benefit — and one that can get very expensive to pay for out-of-pocket. (The Affordable Care Act included a long-term care provision that was eventually scrapped because of its high cost.)
More:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/house-unveils-medicare-bill/story?id=61386206
