Become a citizen co-sponsor of Medicare-for-all bill

Bernie Sanders: Become a citizen co-sponsor of my Medicare-for-all bill

Last month, we won a very important victory against the Republican plan to kick millions of Americans off their health insurance, a plan that would have raised premiums for seniors and defunded Planned Parenthood.

Now let me be totally clear: if Republicans try again to repeal Obamacare, we will fight them with everything we have. But our ultimate goal is to understand that in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, health care must be a right, not a privilege, for every man, woman and child.

That is why, in just a few weeks, I am going to introduce a Medicare-for-all, single-payer health care bill in the United States Senate. It is time to wage a moral and political war against a dysfunctional health care system in this country. Say you’re with me:

Add your name as a Citizen Co-Sponsor of my Medicare-for-all, single-payer health care bill. When I introduce the legislation, I want it to be clear that the American people believe health care should be a right in this country.

Medicare-for-all will mean that people won’t die in this country simply because they cannot afford the care they need. It will mean everyone, and every loved one, has the freedom to go to a doctor when they need without going bankrupt.

A Medicare-for-all, single-payer health care system would save hundreds of billions in health care costs a year. The savings for businesses would be astronomical and allow them to compete on equal footing with companies in Europe.

And for the millions of Americans who are currently in jobs they don’t like but must stay put because of health care access, they would be free to explore more productive opportunities as they desire.

Right now, our nation spends more than any other on health care with higher costs and worse outcomes in many cases. If we are serious about providing high-quality and affordable health care, the only real solution is a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system that provides health care to ALL Americans, including the 50 million uninsured and underinsured in this country.

Before I introduce my legislation, I want to know that you’re with me:

Add your name as a Citizen Co-Sponsor of my Medicare-for-all, single-payer health care bill.

The insurance companies may not like this legislation and the drug companies probably won’t either. They will try to make words like "NATIONAL HEALTH CARE" sound scary.

But the truth is, for far too long they have been bribing the United States Congress, spending billions of dollars in lobbying and campaign contributions to make sure we maintain a dysfunctional, but profitable, approach to health care. Enough is enough. Now is the time to take them on and do something about it.

The American people are with us on this issue, and there is nothing to be afraid of. Because right now, we already have a very large single-payer system in this country. It's called Medicare and it has succeeded in providing near-universal coverage to Americans over the age of 65 and gets high marks from people who are enrolled in the program.

I believe the American people are ready for a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system that guarantees health care as a right for all Americans. But getting there will require nothing short of a political revolution in this country.

Add your name to say we're in this together.

We need a revolution in how health care is provided in this country. My bill will do that. If every other major country on earth can offer health care as a right, then so can the United States of America.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

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Also see: Vox: It’s time for Democrats’ wonk class to write some single-payer plans