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Today, Members of Congress announced the Medicare For All Congressional Caucus with Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Keith Ellison (MN-5) serving as co-chairs. At its launch, the Medicare For All Caucus has more than 60 members, nearly one-third of House Democrats.

“It is an honor to co-chair the Medicare for All Caucus because if you live in America, you have a right to affordable, quality healthcare and we must work together to get there,” said Dingell. “When you go to the doctor you shouldn’t be worried about how you are going to pay for it, and if you get diagnosed you shouldn’t have to turn to crowdfunding to afford treatment. Our coalition of more than 60 members of Congress and advocacy partners is united in focusing on policies that will make our healthcare system more fair, more affordable, and to ensure everyone has coverage. Medicare for All promises to streamline our fragmented healthcare system to lower costs for drugs, procedures, and services. It’s why I am so excited to be a co-chair of this important caucus.”

The Caucus was launched during an event Thursday on Capitol Hill. The Medicare For All Caucus brings together like-minded members of Congress with the advocacy community to promote policies that will improve access to affordable, quality healthcare including single-payer healthcare proposals.  Dingell is a cosponsor of Medicare For All in the House.

As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Dingell has advocated for improving the affordability and quality of healthcare and stood up to attacks to weaken or undermine the Affordable Care Act. She is also continuing the Dingell family tradition of fighting for universal healthcare coverage. Her father-in-law, John Dingell Sr., drafted the first legislation that ultimately led to the creation of Medicare (known as the Wagner-Murray-Dingell bill), and her husband, John Dingell Jr., introduced a single-payer healthcare plan every session he served in Congress.

A photo from the event is available here, and a livestream of the announcement is available here.

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