Six of us from the APA Healthcare Action Team met with Patrick Buhr, Congressional Aide to Ed Perlmutter, on 3/17/21 (2 had to leave early).  We thanked Ed Perlmutter for being an original cosponsor of Medicare for All 2021 which was presented to Congress today.  We asked Ed to use his influence to encourage his colleagues to support it.

The Healthcare Emergency Guarantee Act – Bernie is “leading the charge” on the HEGA.  It has not been decided whether it should be a standalone bill or incorporate it into another bill. The COVID pandemic has illustrated how employer-based healthcare doesn’t work.  If people lose their jobs they lose their healthcare – when they need it most!  Instead, if people lose their jobs they could automatically be enrolled in Medicare – much more affordable than COBRA!  Look for more federal healthcare bills to be announced…

Patrick talked about a tentative step-by-step plan to get to Medicare for All.  First, expand the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Second, enact a Medicaid Buy-In based on age (50+?). Next, the public option.  Our “moral imperative” is to get to universal healthcare.  Several of us expressed that the “public option” needs to be robust and really help people. For example, to include a vast pool of people so it is not only attractive to the unhealthy.

Colorado is a battleground for the Healthcare industry opposing any form of a public option.  They are buying ads saying the public option won’t work. Beware!

Senator Michael Bennet is pushing a public option bill which Ed Perlmutter supports.

There is also a Colorado CAP bill that would cap prices on medications.

To recap, Ed is a cosponsor of Medicare for All 2021, supports the Healthcare Emergency Guarantee Act (in whatever form it takes), and a robust public option.  

We are happy that Ed supports our two healthcare bills, and we remain committed to getting to Universal Health Care as soon as possible and will continue working with our legislators toward that end.