Medicare for all (H.R. 676) only solution

Posted on July 21, 2017

The movie shown last week, “Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point,” is a wake up call to those who still believe we have the “best health care system in the world.”  It showed clearly how little we’re getting for our money with a for-profit health care system run by myriad insurance companies.  Our costs are twice as much as countries with universal health care and our health benefits and longevity are poor compared to them.  It’s an unsustainable model and should have been scrapped many years ago.  We have a chance now and it’s urgent we do so for our health as well as the health of our economy.

Six Florida Democrats have signed onto the bill with a total of 115 sponsors so far.   Five Florida Democrats have not supported the bill, H.R. 676, including Rep. Stephanie Murphy,  Rep. Val Demings,  Rep. Charlie Crist,  Rep. Lois Frankel, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  Rep. Murphy has indicated concern over our country’s debt by sponsoring a balanced budget amendment.  Her reluctance to sign onto H.R. 676 is puzzling as various reports indicate that it would go a long way in helping to reduce the debt.

Illustrative of why some of our legislators refuse to get on board with this overdue and common sense legislation, is a piece about Dick Gephardt, former Democratic minority House leader and super delegate.  It shows clearly and revoltingly how Democrats, like Republicans, remain firmly in the pockets of the insurance industry.  It’s really quite remarkable to hear him yuck it up with insurance executives about the Democrats’ willingness to side with Republicans to deny average Americans the affordable coverage universal health care would provide them.  “We have met the enemy and he is us.”   We need to make sure our leaders in Washington know which side they should be on in this pivotal time in history.

If you didn’t make it to the event last night, you can view the movie on-line here. http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/fix-healthcare-tipping-point/