Today, Representative Ro Khanna from California’s 17th District re-introduced the State-Based Universal Health Care Act, which he first introduced in 2019. The bill calls for state governments to lead the push in ushering in affordable healthcare by accessing federal funding.
“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” said Khanna.
This bill will create a waiver that allows states to come up with their own plans to provide access to health care for all residents, and to access federal funding to implement the same. To apply for the waiver, participating states or groups of states must propose plans to provide health care coverage for at least 95 percent of their residents within five years. Additionally, the proposed benefits must be equal to or greater than federal health care plans.
Among other lawmakers, Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Rep. Barbara Lee of California voiced their support for the bill, lauding it as a positive step towards a more equitable and affordable healthcare system in the country.