Whatever happened to Medicare For All?

The world of health care has seen a lot of unprecedented change in the past few years as we experienced a shift in priorities and new ways in which we receive care. Medicare For All, as one key example, was once an issue at the forefront of health care discourse in the U.S. Now, it seems to have fallen by the wayside in regular discussion, despite being such an important issue. Other issues, such as the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision which overturned Roe v. Wade, and the government’s role in fighting COVID-19 continue to steal the health care spotlight.

Going back to the 2020 presidential campaign, many candidates were outspoken in support of Medicare For All, and it was a top campaign issue for candidates such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.). When President Joe Biden entered office, he solidified plans to protect and expand the Affordable Care Act. COVID-19 relief legislation and the Inflation Reduction Act have allowed for increases in spending for the ACA without much public scrutiny, thereby quietly fulfilling the Biden campaign promise.

So how did this happen? What’s the reason for the sudden shift?

There are, of course, multiple solutions to the health care problems that we have recently seen. The fact remains that Medicare will be part of almost all those solutions. Whether it is Medicare For All, or Medicare for some, the solution will not only be found in expanding access, but also in how we decide to build the relationship between public and private health care systems. The more likely solution will be closer to the middle rather than to one side or the other. This will also provide a stronger system that works better for everyone.

Other health care issues will take the spotlight over the Medicare issue. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade created a huge splash in American politics. It will be much more powerful for candidates to campaign on a topic such as abortion rights than it will be to run on Medicare For All. The focus will be on the emotionally charged issues that activate more people instead of the topics that haven’t been big news for several years. The recent lack of political threat around the topic of Medicare has created an environment where the increasing costs and lack of patient affordability within the private health insurance system continue to rise.

So, the question is, will Medicare For All ever make a comeback? It seems likely that it will. The policy is strongly supported at the polls, and many Democratic members of Congress still support it as well. Vice President Kamala Harris was a co-sponsor on Sanders’ Medicare For All bill when she represented California in the Senate. Although this issue will not be a major one for the upcoming 2024 election, it will likely be a leading issue in the following 2028 elections. With the increase in health care costs combined with the rising rates of inflation, the Medicare For All issue will see the spotlight again soon, and our elected officials will have no choice but to address possible solutions.

Charisse Vaughn is senior vice president, employee benefits, at Holmes Murphy. Contact her at [email protected].

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