Sanders and colleagues introduce Medicare for All Act of 2022 in the Senate

Joined by all original cosponsors, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and 14 of his colleagues introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2022 in the Senate on Thursday. The bill would ensure comprehensive healthcare to all.

The Medicare for All Act of 2022 would be implemented over a four-year period and “would include dental care, vision coverage, and hearing aids with no out-of-pocket expenses, insurance premiums, deductibles, or co-payments,” according to a press release.

“The American people understand, as I do, that health care is a human right, not a privilege and that we must end the international embarrassment of the United States being the only major country on Earth that does not guarantee health care to all of its citizens,” said Sen. Sanders. “It is not acceptable to me, nor to the American people, that over 70 million people today are either uninsured or underinsured. As we speak, there are millions of people who would like to go to a doctor, but cannot afford to do so. This is an outrage. In America, your health and your longevity should not be dependent on your wealth.”

Sanders is joined by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), while the Medicare for All Act of 2022 was also been endorsed by more than 60 major organizations, including National Nurses United and National Union of Health Care Workers.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, Medicare for All would save Americans $650 billion each year and eliminate out-of-pocket health care costs. Supporters of the bill said it will help improve the economy and put people over profits.

“Health care is a human right that all Americans, regardless of income, are entitled to and they deserve the best health care that our country can provide,” Sen. Sanders said.