Partnership: Americans Deserve Better than Unaffordable, One-Size-Fits-All Medicare for All 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future issued the following statement after the Medicare for All Act of 2023 was reintroduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. This legislation would create a one-size-fits-all new government health insurance system known as Medicare for All. 

“Every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care – however one-size-fits-all proposals like Medicare for All that result in government-controlled health care won’t help us get there,” said Partnership’s executive director Lauren Crawford Shaver. “With more and more states seeing failed public option approaches, it is more important than ever that Americans have access to quality and affordable health care – not a system that would force them to pay more and wait longer for worse care. We urge Congress to come together for a commonsense approach that builds on and improve what is working in health care.” 

A one-size-fits-all approach like Medicare for All or Public Option will increase costs and limit access to high-quality care.  

• “As more states propose “public option” plans and the healthcare industry continues to consolidate, it will be easier and easier for these public options to become the only option in parts of the country, which will yield the same bad results as a single-payer system.” (Washington Examiner, 03/14/23)  

Building on our Current System Has Led to More Americans Gaining Health Care Coverage  

• “A record-breaking more than 16.3 million people have selected a Marketplace health plan nationwide during the 2023 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period (OEP).” (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 01/25/23)  
  • 3.6 million Americans who selected plans are new to the Marketplace for 2023.   
  • 12.7 million Americans either had active 2022 coverage and made a plan selection for 2023 coverage or were automatically re-enrolled.   
  • Over 1.8 million more Americans have signed up for health insurance – a 13% increase from this time last year.   

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The Partnership for America’s Health Care Future’s (PAHCF) mission is to build on and improve what’s working, where private coverage, Medicare and Medicaid work together to expand access to coverage and care, and fix what’s not. We want to work together to lower costs, protect patient choice, expand access, improve quality and foster innovation. And whether it’s called Medicare for All, Medicare buy-in, or the public option, one-size-fits-all health care will never allow us to achieve those goals.