Coronavirus Fact Sheet; Industry Propaganda; Support for Sick Leave, Guaranteed Health Care
Welcome to this week’s edition of “We’ve Got You Covered,” a weekly tipsheet designed to highlight key news about Medicare for All and call out the biggest health care industry lies and falsehoods about universal health care. Please send tips, feedback and questions to Mike Stankiewicz at mstankiewicz@citizen.org or (202) 588-7779.
A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE A PANDEMIC
The for-profit health care system in the U.S. puts the country at a dangerous disadvantage in managing the coronavirus pandemic.
A new fact sheet by Public Citizen laid out how under Medicare for All, the U.S. would have a more coordinated response to future pandemics, more leverage to ensure critical vaccines and treatments would be available to all who need them, and make needed funds available to allow providers to better service patients during an emergency.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how broken our health care system is,” said Eagan Kemp, health care advocate at Public Citizen. “We shouldn’t have had to wait for a global crisis to realize we need a serious overhaul of the system.”
SURVEY: WIDE SUPPORT FOR SICK LEAVE, MEDICARE FOR ALL
The coronavirus pandemic is opening a lot of people’s eyes about the lack of paid sick leave in the U.S. and the lack of affordable vaccines and treatment.
Data for Progress and The Justice Collaborative found that 66% of U.S. voters – including a majority of Republicans – support two weeks of guaranteed paid sick leave for all U.S. workers during the coronavirus outbreak, and 68% support two weeks of paid family leave for workers whose children are sick with the disease.
The survey also found that 76% support free testing, 75% say a coronavirus vaccine must be free, and 53% say every American should receive “comprehensive healthcare without any out-of-pocket costs for monthly premiums, co-pays, or deductibles,” also known as Medicare for All.
INDUSTRY PROPAGANDA DURING A CRISIS
Continuing to put corporate profits over public health, the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future apparently found it appropriate during a global pandemic to attack guaranteed health care for all.
The group, composed of Big Pharma and health insurance corporations, is funneling lies through Facebook ads, attacking Connecticut’s proposed state insurance plan and making falsehoods about wait times, accessibility and affordability.
These ads are not surprising from the Partnership. The claims are so ridiculous they don’t merit a response, but we’ll just leave the facts here.
REMINDER: PREVENTABLE DISEASES
Medicare for All would save money by reducing the incidence of preventable diseases and allowing earlier treatment.
Nearly half of all Americans report that they avoided going to the doctor when sick or injured in the past year due to cost, meaning that many Americans put off care rather than risk medical debt and even bankruptcy just to get the care they need. Earlier treatment would reduce the need for more expensive care later on.
To speak with a Medicare for All policy expert, or if you have questions about Public Citizen’s work, please contact Mike Stankiewicz, mstankiewicz@citizen.org, (202) 588-7779.