Washington (July 26, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health, and Retirement Security, announced the introduction of the State Based Universal Health Care Act, legislation that would allow states to obtain a “super waiver” from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide comprehensive, universal health coverage to all residents.
This legislation is part of the Health Care Over Wealth Care Agenda that Senator Markey announced in April at the HELP Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security Boston field hearing.
“Steward Health Care demonstrates the extent of harm that corporate greed can inflict on health care. When given the opportunity, corporate executives continue to put their wealth over the public’s health. Patients suffer, providers leave, and communities pay the price,” said Senator Markey. “The State Based Universal Health Care Act allows states to pave the way towards a system that is not driven by profit, but by people’s health – a system that will protect access to high quality, affordable care above all else.”
The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and led by Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) in the House of Representatives.
“Our legislators worry about obtaining the federal dollars needed to provide universal health care through a single-payer Massachusetts Health Care Trust. This bill reassures them. Sen. Markey's State Based Universal Health Care Act will keep our federal funding intact as we move away from profit-driven health care,” said Kimberley Connors, Executive Director of Mass-Care. “Thank you, Senator Markey for providing for the ‘super waiver’ we need. This paves the way to enact the Massachusetts Medicare for All bill, already in the Massachusetts State Legislature. Mass-Care is thrilled to endorse this bill.”
“Senator Ed Markey’s State Based Universal Health Care Act is a golden opportunity for the Senate to support the robust implementation of state-level programs with federal healthcare dollars and legal protections,” said Chuck Pennacchio, President of One Payer States. “State innovation has consistently led the way for vital U.S. political, economic and social reform. Healthcare is no different, as one or more American states can soon model efficient, patient-centered and practitioner-friendly universal healthcare programs to be adopted nationally in a few short years.”
“With more Americans than ever forced to face financial ruin just to access basic medical care, we are truly in an ongoing healthcare crisis in this country,” said Gillian Mason, Executive Director of Healthcare-NOW. “We can’t wait for a real solution to our broken healthcare system, and this legislation will ease some of the federal government gridlock standing between Americans and the healthcare they deserve.”
“People are struggling in every corner of the country to get comprehensive and affordable health care due to Big Insurance’s greed. Senator Markey’s State Based Universal Health Care Act is a commonsense piece of legislation that would give states that wish to implement single-payer health care the freedom to do so,” said Wendell Potter, President of the Center for Health and Democracy. “This legislation is an important step towards ending Big Insurance’s stranglehold on health care in this country.”
“The State Based Universal Health Care Act would be a massive step forward in reforming our broken health care system by allowing states like Massachusetts, California and New York to lead the way,” said Eagan Kemp, Health Care Policy Advocate at Public Citizen. “This bill would make it easier for every state to take the necessary steps to implement efficient single-payer health care and ensure that everyone in the state can get the care they need when they need it. Such reforms would also mean massive savings on health care costs for both states and cities. And, as was the case with Canada, allowing states to take the first steps towards single-payer health care can help the rest of the country finally achieve guaranteed universal health care.”
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