http://kennedy.senate.gov/newsroom/press_release.cfm?id=B30A5C7B-35AC-4CC9-8192-1B1E50FC8356KENNEDY AND DINGELL FIGHT FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL
April 25, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Pensions and Labor Committee and Representative John Dingell, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, introduced their legislation to give all Americans quality healthcare. Their bill will extend Medicare to all Americans, from birth to the end of life and will reduce costs and improve quality, including more effective use of health information technology. It also puts a new emphasis on preventive care, because preventing illness before it occurs is always better and less expensive than treating patients after they become ill.
“The nation's health care has reached such a crisis point that the American people are looking for bold action. Our experience last year in adopting health reforms in Massachusetts shows that this can happen. Political leaders, business representatives, health experts and average citizens all came together around a health reform plan, “ Senator Kennedy said. “Congress should follow this lead. I believe that the best plan for the nation is to build on a program that all Americans know and respect by creating Medicare for All. Medicare administrative costs are low. Patient satisfaction is high. Patients can choose their doctors and hospitals. And all Americans will be free from the fear of medical expenses and enable them to seek the best possible care when illness strikes.”
"Not only will covering all Americans improve millions of lives, it will actually save money by reducing emergency room costs and increasing access to prevention services and earlier treatments," said Dingell. "We will all reap the benefits of a healthier nation, a stronger economy and lower health insurance costs."
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=44520Capitol Hill Watch | Dingell, Kennedy Introduce 'Medicare for All' Bill
Apr 26, 2007 Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) on Wednesday introduced companion bills (S 1218 and H 2034) that would allow U.S. residents younger than age 65 to enroll in Medicare, CQ HealthBeat reports. Under the "Medicare for All" bill, residents would be eligible to enroll in Medicare or any of the health insurance plans offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program, or they could continue to receive coverage under private plans. The legislation would shift the cost of coverage to the federal government, which would increase federal spending by about $600 billion annually. Kennedy and Dingell said payroll taxes and general revenue would cover the costs of the proposal. According to a summary of the proposal, "A preliminary estimate of the payroll tax financing necessary will be a payment of 7% of payroll by businesses and 1.7% by workers." Kennedy and Dingell said their plan would save $308 billion annually in administrative costs (CQ HealthBeat, 4/25).
However, the lawmakers "acknowledged that the measure does not yet have enough support for consideration in either chamber," CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 4/25). Kennedy said, "The best plan for the nation is to build on a program that all Americans know and respect by creating Medicare for all." Dingell added, "Not only will covering all Americans improve millions of lives, it will actually save money by reducing emergency room costs and increasing access to preventive services and earlier treatments" (CQ HealthBeat, 4/25).
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