Why America Needs Medicare for All

Americans desperately need better health care without high insurance deductibles, exorbitant monthly premiums and outrageous drug prices. Too many people suffer from this and it needs to change.

Although in the U.S. we now have the Affordable Care Act, too many people can't afford the monthly premiums or the high deductible when they need treatment. The health insurance industry still has a grip on the system and reap huge profits, making lots of money while people suffer.

The drug industry is equally profit driven and our prescriptions are much more expensive than the same drug in another country such as Canada.

Vivian S. - I'm retired and sending Bernie money every month because I'm tired of living in fear of the next big health issue that we can't afford. I'm tired of going to the drug store so I can decide whether my husband should go blind, have a stroke or not be able to breathe because I can't afford to get all his medicine and what food will we have to give up to get it.

That's why I'm supporting and voting for Bernie because no one else cares.

Ellen H. - My mom literally can't breathe right now so her choices are huge bills at the emergency room or waiting for a check to come through. Her medication is $300. I'm telling her to go to the ER and just don't pay. Stupid advice but it's what I'm having to do after a heart "incident".

These are shitty options.

This was shared in a Facebook group I belong to (I've removed the name for privacy reasons) - Last year I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis while uninsured. It was hellacious. I honestly thought I wouldn't make it through the summer, the pain is truly astounding. But I knew that I'd be able to sign up for Obamacare in November. Thinking I'd finally have access to healthcare kept me going through dark days. Sadly that's only somewhat been the case. The insurance itself is STILL not affordable. Between high copays and high prescription costs I can't always go to appointments or afford medication. Today I was going through my meds deciding which ones were safe to cut from my daily regimen because they're very expensive. I had to choose Elmiron (IC med) over cholesterol meds. This week I had to cancel an appointment. My husband works 50+ hours a week. It's disgraceful that this is happening in one of the richest nations on earth. By the way, thanks for reminding me to update my vaccines and get a flu shot.

Another person commented - I actually had something similar happen! I'm on MA and got a cyst last April. Because of the location, I had to have it removed or I wouldn't be able to work. The pain was absolutely horrendous!! When I spoke with the surgeon, he said 2" would have to be removed and sewn together......after injecting the dye to light up the cyst trail, 2" became 4" and 9 stitches. Took 3 1/2 months to recover. I thought I'd be ok with insurance..... Sure my prescriptions were free but I'm now more that 20k in debt due to the Dr visits and surgery that only lasted 15 minutes..

Jessi B. - A couple years ago we filed bankruptcy following a $36,000 gallbladder removal. I've been hoping no other major medical stuff will come up until the next time I can declare bankruptcy. No one in America working full time should have to plan surgeries around bankruptcies .

A friend just posted an angry question on social media, "

Now that we finally have a medicine that works for my daughter, I have to fight her insurance company for it. Get this! The doctor who prescribed the medicine has to write a letter approving it. It doesn’t even make sense! Isn’t that what the prescription is for?

Because they are giving us such a hard time, she has run out. So I thought I will pay cash for a few more days so she doesn’t go without while we continue battling them (We have been working on it for ten days so far).

I was anticipating this medicine to be astronomical in cost since the insurance is resisting so hard. Not at all. It’s $30 for the entire month!

It probably costs them more to fight it! What kind of sense does this make?

It’s not economical, obviously! So, what’s the real motivation? They want people who need this medicine to go without. Why?!"

A post by someone I know on Facebook (name removed for privacy reasons) - *No comments about flu shots, please. This post is about economic reform*

My children were vaccinated for the flu in November.

My 3-year-old son tested positive for the flu tonight in the hospital.

The only treatment effective at reducing the length of the flu is $129... after insurance. Ironically about the same amount we would have applied toward healthy groceries for the week had we not been preoccupied with tending to our son. Not having groceries this week means being able to purchase the medication without accruing interest on an increase in credit card debt. Imagine that.

Of all the parties involved - the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and financial industries - my family and I are the ones who pay. It is wrong to feel relieved that no groceries in the fridge means medication for my child.

When an American middle class, working family is thankful not to have purchased food at the opportunity to purchase medication to treat a vaccinated illness, something is not right. This is an economy that needs to be challenged. This is an economy that needs to change NOW.

Robin H. replied - There are no excuses for this kind of nonsense. A minor medical treatment shouldn't mean you don't eat for a week... and in most cases, I'd think that for some people, the amount of money you speak of may do more than buy groceries for a family for a week.

It might mean the money to get to and from a job or jobs; paying an installment on a back-due utility such as electric or heating fuel.

Shawn B. - AMEN! I am one of those that doesn't go to the doctor because of my deductible. I am a single parent who quit my job to take care of my partner who had ALS. Now I pay $480 a month with $6000 deductible. $480 for what amounts to a "catastrophic" plan. Before, I paid $148 for one physical visit/full hospitalization catastrophic plan.

Dave H. of California - I'm very much in the same position -- I'm a full-time caretaker for my 81-year-old dad, and while, thank God, he's got Medicare for himself, I cannot afford *any* insurance plan for myself under the "Affordable" Care Act.

Tiffany A. of New York State - It has been 6 months, and I live with a terrible truth. It is one of the reasons I supported Bernie Sanders for Presidency. The truth is my mother would still be alive if we, the American people, had universal healthcare already.

My mother only 50 years old, seemed in good health, full of life, died because she could not afford an extra and unplanned trip to the doctor. She thought it was just a cold or the flu, maybe she was just jet lagged. The fact is she had a heart attack and lived 10 whole days before her heart muscle filled with blood and could no longer beat. The truth is, if she had gone to the doctor a simple check of her vitals probably would have saved her life.

I cannot change the past. However, we can try to change the future. No one should lose a mother. My grandmother should have never lost a child. My children should have been able to grow up with their grandmother. I cannot change the future for my family.

However, electing Bernie could possibly have changed the future for another family. Someone else in the future does need to know this pain because their parents can get the care they need. Their children can get the care they need.

I do not need condolences or sympathy. If this touches your heart, vote Bernie Sanders for Presidency in 2016. All Americans deserve universal healthcare.

With a Heavy Heart,
A Grieving American Daughter

Amanda B. - I am a Canadian, lived there for 23 years. I had two babies there (never cost me a penny) had great care (stayed in the hospital each time for three days). I had one baby here in the US it cost us over $5000.00 which had to be paid to the hospital before I had her. I stayed for less than 24 hours and they wanted me to stay overnight but it would have cost us $800.00 more. Most expensive bed for one night I've ever experienced.

My whole family is still in Canada, they love their doctors, they never wait for appointments and go to emergency rooms if needed but never pay a penny. My Dad had both knees replaced in just over a year (waited to get the 2nd done after full year recovery on the first one - never paid a penny).

Even the Conservative Prime Minister said when he was running for re-election last year that no one had to worry, he would not change anything about their health care system. Please do not listen to any of the propaganda the private insurance companies and big pharma put out there. None of it is true. I have waited longer here in the States for an appointment than ever waited in Canada.

Universal healthcare is better for us but not so good for the insurance companies and all you have ave to do when hearing something negative is follow the money.

Jennifer Lee M. - As someone living in a country (Australia) with universal health care let me explain. For an emergency, you get free healthcare IMMEDIATELY. This includes free ambulance. Less of an emergency at the hospital (eg. Broken arm) a couple hour waiting if there are emergencies (someone about to die gets priority). GP are as per normal except the government reimburses you. Admittedly knee replacements etc. can have a long waiting list.

The universal health care in my country also covers my medication for which there is no wait. Each script is only $6.20.HOWEVER!!!!!! All of this is WITHOUT insurance. You can still have private insurance if you choose. Then there is no wait at all!

HOWEVER!!!!!! All of this is WITHOUT insurance. You can still choose to have private insurance if you so desire. Then there is no wait at all!

They are just trying to scare you.


Also, if healthcare is free then you get the problem early so it's an easier fix and it frees up wait times.