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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLauren Underwood Builds A Bad-Ass Healthcare Bridge To Medicare For All
Stephen Robinson May 02, 2019 11:24 AM
Lauren Underwood is one of our favorite new congressional bad asses. The youngest black woman -- ever -- to serve in the House, the former registered nurse flipped a seat in Illinois's solidly Republican 14th district. You might also remember Underwood from the time she grilled former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen about her child torture hobby. Underwood campaigned on protecting the Affordable Care Act, and she's still dancing with the issue that brought her to Congress. Most of her freshman class has signed onto Medicare For All, and while Underwood supports universal coverage, she wants to strengthen the ACA until we get there.
Underwood recently introduced HR 1868, the Health Care Affordability Act. It's part of a bundle of health care legislation from House Democrats that's intended to "shore up and expand" the ACA. Her co-sponsors are House representatives Jimmy Gomez from California and Tom O'Halleran from Arizona. HR 1868 qualifies more Americans to receive tax credits, expands eligibility for premium tax credits, and lowers premiums.
It's important to recognize that ACA Part Deux isn't an alternative to Medicare For All or single payer or any other universal coverage program. Rather, it serves as a vital short-term solution. Health care analyst Charles Gaba explained on Twitter that Underwood's bill could be implemented almost immediately. Both Medicare for All and Medicare for America, which Beto O'Rourke supports, will take some time to ramp up. HR 1868 will fill the gap.
Underwood is playing a key role here in the future success of any universal coverage program. Republicans have attempted to sabotage the Affordable Care Act at both the state and federal levels, both before and after Donald Trump took office. They're guaranteed to play the same obstructive games with whatever Democrats try to do. Smoothing out the bumps in the road as Americans transition to a better system is good for the public. It also denies Republicans the ability to use frustrated sick people as political hostages.
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https://www.wonkette.com/lauren-underwood-has-her-own-damn-health-care-plan-thank-you-very-much
THIS is how to do it!!
riverine
(516 posts)I keep hearing good things from Underwood.
lunasun
(21,646 posts)sheshe2
(83,319 posts)murielm99
(30,655 posts)She is a breath of fresh air.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)She's a nurse, and that's what probably drives her patient-centered agenda. For her, 'morality' in health care reform prioritizes how much care you can get people who need it NOW.
Crusades against the abuses of capitalism are another issue, and changes in the economy should be an effect of getting people the medical care they need, not the goal.
Wounded Bear
(58,436 posts)Good to see someone put forward a good, solid transition plan.
Nuggets
(525 posts)This is what Hillary Clinton was talking about.
This is why Obama had the public option basic government plan while simultaneously using the existing market with some new regulations to soften the transition.
Smart.
Now let's get it passed in the House and on the table for the 2020 election.
Gothmog
(143,998 posts)Thank you for posting this
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)'take down the insurance/pharma industry" focused, which often dismisses that people need affordable healthcare now, and can't wait for a long promised "revolution."
Doing something right beats holding off for perfection. The privileged Susan Sarandons of the world who think that suffering will bring about the 'revolution' faster can go fuck off.
ismnotwasm
(41,916 posts)I want a workable plan, that goes beyond slogan politics