Rep. Pramila Jayapal on Thursday made a fresh call for the U.S. to
implement Medicare for All in response to an op-ed from an American
doctor working in Canada who says that country’s universal health
coverage allowed it to have a better response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In her opinion
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2020/08/05/canadian-medicare-covid-response-model-for-america-doctor-column/5547006002/
piece published Wednesday at /USA Today/, family physician Khati Hendry,
who moved to Canada from California and works in British Columbia, wrote
that she has “never felt more grateful to work in a universal healthcare
system than during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“My heart aches for the millions of Americans who have fallen ill and
then have had to worry about how they will pay for tests and treatment,
who have gone to work while sick for fear of losing their health
coverage or who have lost not only their jobs but their insurance,
leaving them at risk for financial ruin,” she wrote.
“Many of my American colleagues tell me that they’re burned out from
administrative demands and anguished from seeing patients not get the
care they need because of cost. Now it is worse, as the number of
uninsured has soared with the pandemic. My message for them is this: I
know we can do better, because I see it every day.”
—Khati Hendry, MDBecause they have guaranteed healthcare coverage, wrote
Hendry, “Canadians are much less likely to delay testing or treatment
for COVID-19, or for the chronic medical conditions that increase the
risk of severe illness and death from the virus.”
Canada’s system is better not only for patients, she said, but also for
doctors and other medical professionals who aren’t burdened with “the
administrative headache of multiple insurance companies.”
Hendry added:
Many of my American colleagues tell me that they're burned out from
administrative demands and anguished from seeing patients not get
the care they need because of cost. Now it is worse, as the number
of uninsured has soared with the pandemic. My message for them is
this: I know we can do better, because I see it every day. It is
worth fighting for a system that puts public health ahead of
profits: Medicare for All.Jayapal is a vocal proponent of Medicare for All and introduced
legislation last year to establish a national health insurance program.
That bill currently has 118 cosponsors
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/02/huge-deal-majority-house-democrats-have-signed-medicare-all.
The Washington Democrat also joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in April
in introducing
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/10/sanders-and-jayapal-put-forth-bill-provide-no-cost-health-care-all-during-pandemic
the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act to “fully cover the cost of
medically necessary healthcare, including prescription drugs” for
Americans currently without health insurance for the duration of the
pandemic.
“Our broken healthcare system is failing to protect millions of
Americans from the coronavirus pandemic,” Jayapal said at the time. “Now
more than ever, we need to take bold action to prevent more Americans
from getting sick or dying.”
Article written by Andrea Germanos, Common Dreams staff writer
Source: Common Dreams 8/7/20 https://commons.commondreams.org/t/lets-make-it-happen-declares-jayapal-says-of-medicare-for-all-after-single-payer-in-canada-lauded-as-shield-against-pandemic/80907