Today we mark the 54th anniversary of Medicare. While it's easy to take for granted, we remember that Medicare was a bold idea that shook the system and led to the integration of our hospitals.
Today we need equally bold ideas that shift the balance of power out of the hands of insurance companies and Big Pharma to create an equitable healthcare system that works for everyone! That is why we're fighting for Medicare For All.
Many of our politicians like to claim that Medicare For All is too radical and out of step with what the American people want. But the truth is 70% of Americans already support Medicare For All--and not just in the cities and on the coasts, but in rural communities across the Deep South and Midwest.
Medicare for All is a critical piece of legislation for rural communities. All across the South, rural hospitals are closing. The ones staying open are cutting staff and essential services. In Alabama, 88% of our rural hospitals are operating in the red and in many counties, families have no access to basic care like obstetrics. But Medicare for All would reverse this trend by providing consistent funding to our rural hospitals.
Medicare For All is a reproductive justice issue. Everyone should be able to choose if, when, and how to start a family and Medicare For All would guarantee coverage of all reproductive health services. Furthermore, it would end the draconian Hyde Amendment which currently prevents federal funds from being used to pay for abortion--a policy that disproportionately hurts low-income folks and people of color.
Medicare was created because people who needed healthcare--African-Americans, seniors, poor people--organized, fought, & won. On the 54th anniversary of Medicare, we honor their struggle in today’s fight to win Medicare For All.
Today we're joining our national partners at People's Action and everyday people all over the country to contact our representatives and demand Medicare For All. Help us build the momentum to win by taking action NOW!
Hometown Action relies on the support of its members to fund this important grassroots work. Join the movement and become a Hometown Action member today!
