Americans need, deserve Medicare for All

An open letter to U.S. Rep. Sean Casten:

I would like to ask you to support Medicare for All (Rep Jayapal's bill).

I am a second-career RN. After three years of volunteering, I got my dream job on staff at a free clinic. I grew up as the oldest of nine and was raised in Catholic schools where I was taught Jesus' example of helping the poor, the sick, prisoners, immigrants and refugees. Both of these experiences led me to want to help all people, particularly those with less resources.

I saw how for-profit health care left poor and working people unable to afford health care: to put off needed treatment until they were in crisis. This means they then go to emergency rooms which are expensive and that they suffer unnecessarily. Preventive care, early treatment and maintenance are far less expensive. How can our health care system leave so many people, without good-quality care, to suffer needlessly in a rich and powerful country, well able to give good care to all?

Surely no American should be unable to obtain needed care. We can do better. Studies show Medicare for all would save $450 billion and 68,000 lives a year.

Support improved Medicare for All. We need it.

Dan Bailey

Wheaton