Medicare for America vs. Medicare for All

Medicare for America is a bill introduced in December 2018 by Democratic Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Jan Schakowsky.

https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-schakowsky-introduce-medicare-america

The healthcare proposal is based on a plan developed by the Center for American Progress.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/opinion/medicare-for-all-democrats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Medicare for America is an alternative to Medicare for All, and unlike the latter program, this new bill preserved for-profit health insurance. It caps premiums at no more than 9.69% of income, with subsidies for poorer Americans.

https://delauro.house.gov/sites/delauro.house.gov/files/Medicare_for_America_Summary.pdf

Medicare for All charges no premiums because there is no health insurance, only actual healthcare.

Origins of Medicare For America

The bill is based on a plan devised by the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank and advocacy group that receives funding from America’s Healthcare Plans—the industry group of the health insurance industry and at least one pharma company, Eli Lilly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_American_Progress#cite_note-45

Sponsors of Medicare for America

Rosa DiLauro, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, receives more money from healthcare donations than from any other industry.

https://www.opensecrets.org/personal-finances/net-worth?cid=N00000615
https://www.opensecrets.org/personal-finances/assets/Rosa-DeLauro?cid=N00000615&year=2015

Jan Schakowsky receives more money from law firms, and liberal groups, with healthcare her third most lucrative industry donor.

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/industries?cid=N00004724&cycle=2018

Health Insurance Companies Reaction

Health insurance companies are, unsurprisingly, opposed to Medicare for All and are committed to defeat it.

https://theintercept.com/2018/11/20/medicare-for-all-healthcare-industry/

They formed a group to lobby against Medicare for All called Partnership for America’s Health Care Future. The group touts the current system and warns that any change would be detrimental. They have a website.

“Build on the strength and stability of the employer-provided health coverage that more than 180 million Americans rely on today”

In other words, this group opposes Medicare for All and supports a plan like Medicare for America.