Rep. Stewart Opposes ‘Medicare for All’

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, issued the following news release:

Today, Congressman Chris Stewart (UT-02) voiced his disapproval for the "Medicare for All" single-payer, government-run, healthcare system. As a member of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Stewart joined his colleagues to examine the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report detailing the risks of imposing a one-size-fits-all health care system.

70% of Utahns are on some type of private or employer-sponsored healthcare plan. By implementing "Medicare for All", 70% of Utahns would no longer will be able to choose a health care plan that fits their individual needs but instead be forced to switch to a one-size-fits-all plan.

"One set. One choice. You either opt-in or you opt-in. Those are your choices...You are compelled to go on the government program...

... all of us want to provide insurance for those who don't, but I also know that around 60% of Americans don't want to lose their private insurance...

... If you provide for people to op-out, after you've raised their taxes and doubled them in order to pay for it, who's going to be able to afford to do that? ...The rich opt out and leave the rest of us to suffer under the government program."- Rep. Chris Stewart

More about "Medicare for All":

A single-payer health care system would eliminate health care choice and radically alter how hundreds of millions of Americans currently receive their health care. The CBO report states: "Because the public plan would provide a specified set of health care services to everyone eligible, participants would not have a choice of insurer or health benefits. Compared with the options available under the current system, the benefits provided by the public plan might not address the needs of some people."

Additionally, this plan would cost trillions of dollars. According to estimates from the Urban Institute and the Mercatus Center, current single-payer proposals would add at least $32 trillion to our national debt over 10 years. The Mercatus Center estimates that even doubling all federal individual and corporate taxes would still not cover this cost.

If a single-payer system is designed to include private insurance, like in England, the rich will likely opt out, buy extra insurance through the private sector, and ultimately receive better care. This would not be an option for the moderate to low income population. Resources will follow the money--resulting in prioritization and rationing of care.

* * *

- Watch Rep. Stewart's full remarks here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMoJiRETgNs)