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Ro Khanna advocates State-based healthcare
The act aims to empower states to create affordable universal healthcare plans, backed by federal funding and regulatory flexibility.
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Representative Ro Khanna from California's 17th congressional district, reintroduced the State-Based Universal Health Care Act, which aims to grant states the power to establish their own affordable universal healthcare plans.
In a system backed by federal funding streams and regulatory flexibility, Khanna supported the need for a transformed healthcare system. The proposed Act offers a waiver that allows states to design their own healthcare plans. Not only does it aim to provide coverage for 95 percent of their residents within a five-year timeframe, but participating states would also have to revise their plans should they fail to meet the requirements.
Speaking about the initiative, Khanna asserted, “Universal health care will save lives and help fix our broken system that has left millions of Americans with crushing medical debt. As we work towards universal health coverage at the federal level, we should also support state-based plans. I'm proud to lead this critical legislation to give every state the power to provide coverage for their residents while we continue working to make Medicare for All a reality,”
The Act mandates that benefits provided under state plans must be equal to or greater than those received by federal beneficiaries. To ensure compliance, an independent panel of healthcare experts and officials would evaluate the plans. The panel would then send a recommendation to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for approval or rejection.
This plan would also include regulatory flexibility and funding streams involving various healthcare programs such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and others. States will have the autonomy to devise their own state-based universal healthcare programs, provided they meet the prescribed coverage standards.
The reintroduction garnered support from several members of Congress like Jamaal Bowman, Adam Smith and Shri Thanedar.
Bowman said, “In the wealthiest nation on the planet, no one should be without health care. Universal health care is the lifeline that millions of people need so they don’t have to decide between getting critical medication and putting food on the table, which is why I’m proud to join Representative Khanna in introducing legislation to support state-based universal health care. This is one of many important steps towards making Medicare for All a reality. Health care is a human right, period, and we must make sure our advocacy and our legislation reflect that.”
"Everyone across the country should have access to quality, affordable healthcare. As we continue to work towards Medicare For All, the State-Based Universal Health Care Act will help ensure that members of our communities can access health care without being overburdened by medical debt. This bill is an important part of our work with President Biden to lower health care costs for American families,” said Smith.
Thanedar emphasized on the inclusivity of the Act, saying, “The State-Based Universal Health Care Act is a crucial step towards transforming our healthcare system into one that is more equitable and accessible for all. It empowers states with the necessary resources and flexibility to tailor healthcare solutions to meet the unique needs of their residents, moving us closer to achieving universal healthcare coverage.”
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