Sanders, Gillibrand, Booker, Warren, Markey, Merkley, Harris Introduce Emergency Health Care Guarantee Act

Statement

Today, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act to eliminate all out-of pocket health costs for every person in America during the COVID-19 crisis. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) cosponsored the legislation.

"During this public health crisis, we must make sure that everyone in America is able to receive all of the medical care they need, regardless of their income, immigration status or insurance coverage. No on in this country should be afraid to go to the doctor because of the cost -- especially during a pandemic. The American people deserve an emergency health care response that is simple, straightforward, comprehensive, and cost-effective," said Sanders. "We should empower Medicare to pay all of the medical bills of the uninsured and the under-insured -- including prescription drugs -- for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. When so many people in this country are struggling economically and terrified at the thought of becoming sick, the federal government has a responsibility to take the burden of health care costs off the backs of the American people. The legislation we are introducing today does just that."

New polling reveals overwhelming enthusiasm for Sanders' proposal. According to Data for Progress, 73 percent of American voters support Medicare covering all out-of-pocket health expenses during this emergency, including 58 percent of Republicans. In comparison, 55 percent backed a separate proposal to cover the cost of insurance premiums through COBRA, a federal program that allows those who have lost their jobs to temporarily retain their former employers' health insurance coverage. When presented with evidence that Sanders' emergency Medicare proposal is significantly less expensive despite covering millions more people, 61 percent preferred Sanders' approach versus 14 percent who backed COBRA subsidies.

Sanders has previously argued that proposals to expand COBRA benefits with taxpayer subsidies would provide insurance corporations with hundreds of billions of dollars in windfall profits, but do nothing to cover those who had already lacked employer-provided insurance, or those who continue to be deterred from seeking medical assistance due to high deductibles, which require roughly $1,800 on average in annual out-of-pocket spending before private insurance coverage kicks in.

Sanders' legislation in contrast, would simply leverage the existing Medicare payment infrastructure to affordably and efficiently pay all costs of treatment for the uninsured, and cover all out-of-pocket costs such as copayments and deductibles for those who already have public or private insurance. The bill also halts medical debt collections, prohibits private insurance companies from increasing cost-sharing, and requires ongoing data collection and weekly reporting on health disparities related to COVID-19. The legislation would be effective until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available to the public.

"Health care is a right, not a privilege," said Gillibrand. "The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that every individual needs access to affordable health care, and the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act would cover everyone's out-of-pocket health care expenses during this emergency, regardless of insurance status. I am proud to partner with Senator Sanders and my colleagues to introduce this important legislation because we need to guarantee treatment and care to every individual American in order to safely reopen our economy."

"As the nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that all families have access to the health care they need, without having to worry about out-of-pocket costs," said Booker. "This legislation will ensure medical debt and health care costs aren't barriers for those seeking care. This is especially important for low-income communities, com"munities of color, and immigrant communities, who face greater health inequities and are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19."

"No American should ever go broke paying for medical care -- especially not during a public health emergency," said Warren. "With families struggling to make ends meet now more than ever, I'm glad to partner with Senator Sanders on a bill to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for necessary health care and halt medical debt collections during this economic crisis."

"Americans shouldn't worry about whether they can afford treatment if they come down with the coronavirus," said Markey. "They shouldn't worry about bankruptcy caused by medical bills or out-of-pocket costs. Congress has taken key steps to support our economy and our health care providers, but we must do more to protect all Americans in this time of crisis."

"No family should go bankrupt because they had the misfortune of getting sick -- especially as our nation continues to grapple with a dangerous pandemic," said Merkley. "In a pandemic, every one of us is better off if someone who's sick can go to the doctor and get care as soon as they need it. The time is now for Congress to eliminate out-of-pocket health costs for essential care and halt the collection of medical debts, to help everyone get the care they need and to help our country get through this pandemic."

"The COVID-19 pandemic has placed Americans under tremendous stress," said Harris. "On top of wondering how they will pay rent and put food on the table, paying for medical treatment if they get sick should not be another worry for families. I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce this legislation to protect patients from cost barriers to the medical care they need to stay healthy."

"Our broken health care system is failing to protect millions of Americans from the coronavirus pandemic. Now more than ever, we need to take bold action to prevent more Americans from getting sick or dying," said Representative Jayapal, who sponsored the legislation in the House. "Everyone in America should have guaranteed access to health care, especially during a national emergency."

"COVID-19 has further exposed the inequities of the healthcare system in our nation and this can no longer be ignored," said Representative Bass, who co-led the legislation in the House. "If we expect to overcome this health crisis as a nation, we must ensure that quality healthcare is available and affordable for all. We're all in this together. As we have seen over the last few months, our most vulnerable communities have been impacted gravely by COVID-19 and a healthcare system that continues to fail them. If there was ever a time to get this right, this is it."