MD-Sen: Donna Edwards (D) Calls For Improving The ACA By Including Medicare For All

Received this e-mail today from Rep. Donna Edwards’ (D. MD) U.S. Senate campaign:

23 years ago I passed out in the produce section of the grocery store and ended up in a hospital emergency room.

I was a young mother, and I could not afford healthcare coverage, so I went without.

This emergency room visit put me in tremendous debt, and along with my nearly $100,000 in student loan obligations almost drove me into bankruptcy. I even had to skip house payments between juggling these bills and putting food on the table. We nearly lost our home.

If I had access to preventative healthcare and antibiotics, I would not have ended up in the emergency room. I would not have collapsed in that grocery store. We would not have had to worry about losing our home.

America is the richest country in the world, and this story isn’t unfamiliar. That’s criminal. Almost all of us have a loved one, a friend, or a neighbor who's been trapped underneath a pile of healthcare bills or forced to go without care.

There is no reason anyone should get sick and have nowhere to turn for treatment. And there is no reason getting sick should lead to losing your home. Healthcare should never be a privilege only for those who can afford it. It’s a fundamental right.

If you agree that healthcare is a right of every American, add your name here. No one should go bankrupt because they got sick.

I went to Congress to work on healthcare, because I knew millions of Americans were facing a similar crisis in their lives. That’s why I was so proud to work on and lead the charge to pass the Affordable Care Act -- a transformational change in the way healthcare is delivered in this country.

We took on the insurance companies, the special interests, and the Republicans who did everything in their power to stop us, and won. The law isn’t perfect, we did not get a public option like I hoped, but it was an historic accomplishment -- one President Obama does not get enough credit for.

And while I am proud of that change, I do believe that we can do more to improve that program, take more power away from the special interests and insurance companies, and ensure that no one has to choose between staying sick or going bankrupt.

That starts with stopping Republican attacks on the Affordable Care Act, but also pushing the bounds of what politicians in Washington think is possible. That’s why I support “Medicare for All” which would provide everyone with access to health care -- primary and preventative care, affordable prescription drugs, emergency care, mental health, vision, and dental care.

We have the ability to do big things in this country if we stand up and fight for it. Add your name if you agree that healthcare is the fundamental right of every American.

This is an important fight, and one that affects all of our families. Thank you for being a part of this,

Donna

Click here to add your name.