Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-described “socialist,” is doubling down on his efforts to give federal officials total control over Americans’ health care.The senator has just unveiled the Medicare for All Act of 2019 with 13 leading
Senate Democrats, including fellow contenders for the 2020
Democratic presidential nomination: Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of
New York, Kamala Harris of
California, and
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.Americans should find this bill chilling. If passed, it would essentially abolish all private health coverage in America, regardless of whether Americans like their current plans.Here are the specifics.Outlawing Current CoverageThis bill, title by title and section by section, is almost identical in substance to the Medicare for All Act of 2017 (S.1804) introduced last Congress.Under Title I, the bill would create a new national health insurance plan to provide universal coverage to all U.S. residents, regardless of their legal status. This new program would be phased in over a four-year period.Under Section 107, the bill would outlaw private health coverage, including employer-sponsored coverage, that “duplicates” the coverage provided under the government health plan. Approximately 181 million Americans would lose their existing private coverage.