Bernie Sanders Seeks To Sooth Organized Labor’s Fears About ‘Medicare For All’
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) would ensure that labor unions have more negotiating power under his "Medicare for All" plan by forcing employers to pay out any money they save to union members in other benefits. Organized labor members are a much-coveted voter demographic for Democrats. Meanwhile, the president of America鈥檚 Health Insurance Plans takes swipes at both Sanders' and former Vice President Joe Biden's health plans.
Sen. Bernie Sanders announced a key change to his Medicare-for-all insurance plan Wednesday, a move meant to assuage fears on the part of organized labor, whose support is being heatedly sought by all of the candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination. Labor representatives have expressed concerns to candidates publicly and to campaign staffs privately that a single-payer system could negatively affect their benefits, which in many cases offer better coverage than private plans. (Janes, Weigel and Bailey, 8/21)
The head of the nation鈥檚 health insurance lobby on Wednesday said he does not see much difference between 鈥淢edicare for All,鈥 which is being championed by progressive Democratic presidential candidates, and the public option pushed by former Vice President Joe Biden.聽聽Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America鈥檚 Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), said Biden鈥檚 public option would still have too much government involvement in the health care system. (Weixel, 8/21)
The head of the health insurance lobby said his industry is taking "Medicare for All" 鈥渟eriously鈥 and discloses all of its lobbying in response to a letter from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pressing him for how much he would spend opposing the proposal. ...Lobbying records show that AHIP spent about $5 million on lobbying in the first half of this year, though there are also additional avenues like campaign contributions and advertising spending. (Sullivan, 8/21)聽
