Shaheen Announces Support for Medicare For All Act Introduced by Senator Sanders and Reiterates Need for Immediate Bipartisan Fixes to Current System

(Washington, DC)— Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement after announcing her support for the Medicare For All Act of 2017 introduced today by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT):

“I support the Medicare For All Act because I believe that healthcare should be a fundamental right in this country,” said Senator Shaheen. “Too many Granite Staters continue to struggle to access quality affordable healthcare. I know that in a Republican-controlled Congress this legislation will not pass in the near term, but I believe this bill puts pressure on Congress to think big when it comes to providing the healthcare that all Americans need and deserve. The immediate task at hand for Congress is to stabilize the current healthcare marketplace and find bipartisan means to drive down costs. I am encouraged by recent bipartisan healthcare hearings and I’m optimistic that Congress will soon act to pass bipartisan legislation that makes necessary adjustments to the Affordable Care Act, including my proposal to continue providing cost-sharing support to working families.”

Senator Shaheen introduced the Marketplace Certainty Act earlier this year, which permanently appropriates payments for cost-sharing reductions to provide stability in marketplaces and bring down premiums, and also expands eligibility for these reductions to more Americans. Last week, Senator Shaheen applauded the bipartisan efforts led by Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) as the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a series of healthcare hearings with state insurance commissioners and governors on bipartisan measures to fix the Affordable Care Act (ACA).