{"id":43915,"date":"2025-09-14T14:04:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T21:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=43915"},"modified":"2025-09-14T14:04:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T21:04:59","slug":"with-premiums-set-to-rise-a-reminder-medicare-for-all-would-save-650-billion-annually","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/14\/with-premiums-set-to-rise-a-reminder-medicare-for-all-would-save-650-billion-annually\/","title":{"rendered":"With Premiums Set to Rise, a Reminder: \u2018Medicare for All Would Save $650 Billion\u2019 Annually"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/sen-bernie-sanders-introduces-medicare-for-all-act-of-2017.jpg?id=56533614&amp;width=1200&amp;height=400&amp;quality=90&amp;coordinates=0%2C461%2C0%2C539\" alt=\"Sen. Bernie Sanders Introduces Medicare For All Act Of 2017\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Supporters of US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) hold signs during an event on healthcare September 13, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0(Photo by Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cYour periodic reminder that health insurance is not healthcare,\u201d said one advocate. \u201cIt\u2019s an unnecessary middleman designed to restrict access to healthcare and exploit people for profit.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/brad-reed\">BRAD REED<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sep 12, 2025 (CommonDreams.org)<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/intent\/compose?text=With%20Premiums%20Set%20to%20Rise%2C%20a%20Reminder%3A%20%27Medicare%20for%20All%20Would%20Save%20%24650%20Billion%27%20Annually%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2Fmedicare-for-all-premiums\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/medicare-for-all-premiums\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/medicare-for-all-premiums\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><a href=\"javascript:;\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Health insurance premiums are set to skyrocket in the coming months, which has prompted many progressive advocates to remind Americans that a less expensive alternative is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As&nbsp;<em>The Washington Post<\/em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2025\/09\/12\/tariffs-ozempic-health-insurance-premiums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>&nbsp;on Friday, the cost of health insurance is \u201con track for their biggest jump in at least five years\u201d thanks in part to the actions of congressional Republicans and President&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>RECOMMENDED&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/insurance-premiums-hike-2026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/house-gop-leadership-speaks-after-weekly-conference-meeting.jpg?id=61591127&amp;width=600&amp;height=600&amp;quality=90&amp;coordinates=170%2C0%2C171%2C0\" alt=\"House GOP Leadership Speaks After Weekly Conference Meeting\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/insurance-premiums-hike-2026\">Dems Say They\u2019ll Stand Firm Against Budget Deal Unless GOP Halts Attack on Healthcare<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/sick-profits-trump-tax-cuts\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/care-workers-denounce-impact-of-republican-medicaid-cuts.jpg?id=61557977&amp;width=600&amp;height=600&amp;quality=90&amp;coordinates=170%2C0%2C171%2C0\" alt=\"Care Workers Denounce Impact Of Republican Medicaid Cuts\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/sick-profits-trump-tax-cuts\">Healthcare Giants Have Raked in \u2018Sick Profits\u2019 From Trump Tax Cuts While Stiffing Patients: Report<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Citing new research from KFF, the&nbsp;<em>Post<\/em>&nbsp;noted that most people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act are set to see their premiums&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/insurance-premiums-hike-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rise<\/a>&nbsp;by over 75% unless Congress steps in and renews enhanced subsidies that had been passed into law under the American Rescue Plan in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Congressional Democrats have&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/insurance-premiums-hike-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>&nbsp;that they will not vote to fund the government past its current rapidly approaching deadline unless Republicans in Congress agree to an extension of the enhanced health insurance tax credits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<em>Post<\/em>&nbsp;report also pointed to Trump\u2019s trade war threats as a justification being cited by insurers to raise rates. Even though Trump has yet to actually levy tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, his Commerce Department is currently investigating their impact and the president himself has said that the tariffs could be as much as 250%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome insurers, in legal filings with regulators, have said explicitly that the expected tariffs were raising insurance prices,\u201d the paper explained. \u201cA document from United Healthcare of New York states that, to account for \u2018uncertainty regarding tariffs and\/or the onshoring of manufacturing and their impact on total medical costs, most notably on pharmaceuticals, a total price impact of 3.6% is built into the initially submitted rate filing.\u2018\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given all this, longtime supporters of Medicare for All encouraged their fellow Americans to consider a different way of handling healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNext year, Americans will see the biggest jump in health insurance costs in 15 years,\u201d&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RBReich\/status\/1965101609588838522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">commented<\/a>&nbsp;former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich. \u201cMeanwhile, the six largest health insurers raked in more than $31 billion in net income last year. Still not sure if we need Medicare for All?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Warren Gunnels, a staffer for US Sen.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/bernie-sanders\">Bernie Sanders<\/a>&nbsp;(I-Vt.), cited studies by the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/2020\/12\/11\/seems-good-policy-cbo-shows-medicare-all-could-cover-everyone-650-billion-less-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Congressional Budget Office<\/a>&nbsp;and Yale to argue that Medicare for All would be a net money saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour daily reminder: Medicare for All would save $650 billion and 68,000 lives each and every year while providing comprehensive healthcare to every man, woman, and child with no premiums, no deductibles, and no co-payments,\u201d he&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GunnelsWarren\/status\/1966533376745013331\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Melanie D\u2019Arrigo, the executive director of Campaign for New York Health, argued that the best part of Medicare for All is that it would simply make the private insurance industry obsolte.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour periodic reminder that health insurance is not healthcare,\u201d she&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DarrigoMelanie\/status\/1964673493334995419\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s an unnecessary middleman designed to restrict access to healthcare and exploit people for profit. The fiscal and moral path forward is universal healthcare with Medicare for All.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rep.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/ro-khanna\">Ro Khanna<\/a>&nbsp;(D-Calif.) reacted to the news of insurance price hikes with a simple message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMedicare for All. Now,\u201d he\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RoKhanna\/status\/1964725375533305969\" target=\"_blank\">wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/brad-reed\">BRAD REED<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brad Reed is a staff writer for Common Dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/brad-reed\">Full Bio &gt;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supporters of US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) hold signs during an event on healthcare September 13, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. \u00a0(Photo by Alex Wong\/Getty Images) \u201cYour periodic reminder that health insurance is not healthcare,\u201d said one advocate. \u201cIt\u2019s an unnecessary middleman designed to restrict access to healthcare&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/14\/with-premiums-set-to-rise-a-reminder-medicare-for-all-would-save-650-billion-annually\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43915"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43915"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43916,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43915\/revisions\/43916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}