To The Editor,
On January 24th 2017, Representative John Conyers of Michigan introduced a bill for health care reform that would automatically cover all Americans with health insurance without cost. H.R. 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act would provide free primary, preventative, and emergency care, as well as prescription drug coverage for all Americans. The measure would be paid for through existing government expenses on health care as well as a tax on the wealthiest Americans, and a tax on stock trades.
This bill would relinquish the burden of health care off of small businesses and employers by giving all Americans a base health care plan. This bill would also eliminate problems associated with ever increasing premiums since all Americans will be automatically insured.
One may argue that an act like this would eliminate the health insurance industry, however this is far from the case. Medicare in it’s current state is a base program with many insurance companies providing supplemental plans for those with the means to expand their care. This would be the same situation with an expanded Medicare system, with higher income Americans supplementing their base plan with a supplemental plan from a third party insurer.
The bill is currently sitting in the House Energy and Commerce Committee where Congressman Ryan Costello of the sixth congressional district is a member. We must call on the Congressman to support this bill and vote it out of committee.
If the Congressman is truly supportive of affordable health care for all of his constituents, then he would support H.R. 676.
—
Kevin Burk
