Rep. Dan Lipinski (Western Springs): "The description most commonly used with this bill, "Medicare for all," is not very accurate. Unlike the system that would be implemented under the bill, Medicare is not no-cost healthcare treatment for everyone who is covered by it, and there are private insurers who are involved with Medicare Advantage. So even from the insurance side, H.R. 676 is not like Medicare. In addition, Medicare does not require all providers to be non-profit to participate in it as H.R. 676 requires.



"There is also not enough detail in H.R. 676 for an analysis of the impact that it would have on healthcare for individuals in the United States, what the American healthcare provider system would look like if it was enacted, or how much it would cost. These are all critical questions. In regards to cost, we know that the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be depleted in 2028 and we must make changes to keep it funded. Recently, Vermont rejected a single-payer system because of cost and Colorado voters also rejected it.



"In the immediate future, we need to fight to stop Republican attempts to repeal the ACA (Obamacare) and replace it with the AHCA. As we do this, we also need to focus on making the ACA work better for people by reining in costs. This is how we can best work right now to help provide better healthcare to the American people."