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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswomen Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) marked one year since the two stood with a diverse coalition of universal, single-payer health care advocates and introduced of H.R. 1384, their expanded and improved Medicare for All Act of 2019.

“In the past year, our expanded and improved Medicare for All has garnered support from half the Democrats in the House, had four historic hearings, and fostered a national conversation on how to improve health care in the United States.

“We must be clear: Our current system is broken. More than 27 million people are uninsured, and even those with coverage face increasing prescription drug costs, outrageous out-of-pocket expenses, as well as the fear of losing coverage because of losing a job or getting sick. We are the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn’t guarantee all its citizens health care. We spend twice as much per person and have worse outcomes, including low life expectancy and high infant mortality rates—and our broken system disproportionally effects minorities and low-income working families.

“Medicare for All will save lives by ensuring health care is a right, and not a privilege by ensuring every person has access to quality health care. Medicare for All promises to streamline our fragmented health care system, and expand and improve coverage for every American. Study after study finds that it will lower overall health care costs.

“We have spent the last year meeting with people, employers, labor, health care workers, and people from all walks of life. We know Medicare for All is popular, achievable and a moral and financial imperative for our nation. We must have this conversation with the facts.”

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