This bill would create a national, government-administered health insurance program called the Medicare for All Program, expanding coverage to all residents of the United States. It establishes universal eligibility, eliminates cost-sharing, and guarantees a comprehensive benefits package paid for by the government. The benefits cover hospital care, primary and preventive services, mental health, prescription drugs, maternity, reproductive and gender-affirming care, long-term care, dental and vision, and more, with a particular emphasis on preventing care access barriers and reducing financial risk for individuals. Key design features include no private duplication of benefits once the program is in effect, a universal enrollment mechanism (including automatic birth enrollment and a universal Medicare card without a Social Security number), and explicit protections against discrimination. The bill also sets up a funding framework (a national health budget and a Universal Medicare Trust Fund), introduces provider participation standards and ethics rules to curb conflicts of interest, and outlines transitional provisions to move from current systems to the new program over two years with an optional transition buy-in. It envisions a coordinated federal administration with regional structures, quality standards, and measures to address disparities and ensure access across regions.
Key Points
- 1Universal, single-payer coverage: Establishes a national Medicare-for-All program that entitles every U.S. resident to comprehensive health benefits, with an enrollment system that includes automatic birth enrollment and a Universal Medicare Card (no Social Security number on the card).
- 2No cost-sharing and broad benefits: Requires no deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments for covered services. The benefits package includes hospital and ambulatory care, primary and preventive services, mental health, prescription drugs, reproductive and gender-affirming care, long-term care, hospice, telehealth, and more, with explicit protections against balance billing.
- 3Transition and funding: Creates a national health budget and a Universal Medicare Trust Fund to pay for benefits. Includes a two-year transition period from enactment, with an option for a transition buy-in and phased changes to payment and delivery systems, including a mix of global budgets and fee-for-service payments.
- 4Provider participation and ethics: Requires providers to participate under a federal participation agreement, meet minimum national standards, disclose appropriate information for payments and quality review, and adhere to an ethics framework designed to prioritize patient interests and prohibit certain financial arrangements that could bias care.
- 5Oversight, quality, and disparities: Establishes quality standards, equity offices, and mechanisms to address health disparities. Includes a governance and administrative framework to prevent fraud, manage appeals, and oversee the program’s operation across regions and providers.