HEALTH CARE

With more than 47 million Americans without health insurance coverage, it is clear that we need major changes in our country’s health care system.  But, health care coverage will not be enough to assure access to care.  Over 55 million Americans, insured and uninsured, have trouble finding a primary care provider.  That is why Senator Sanders has proposed a comprehensive set of proposals that will assure not just insurance coverage, but will increase the number of health professionals and community health centers to enable all Americans to receive affordable medical, dental, and behavioral health services. 

Senator Sanders is a strong advocate of a single-payer health insurance system that would be administered at the state level.  He has introduced legislation that would provide funding and incentives for five states to experiment with a variety of methods to cover all state residents.  Through these experiments, Sanders believes the single-payer approach will be proven to be the most cost-effective program and will expand nationally.

Senator Sanders would also like to see a community health center in every county of Vermont.  Health centers are community-based, non-profit organizations that provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services and prescription drugs on a sliding scale basis and are open to the whole community.  In his first year in the Senate, Sanders was a leader in securing Senate committee reauthorization of this program for five years with record increases in their funding level.  

Finally, Senator Sanders will continue his fight in the Senate for lower cost prescription drugs.  He will support legislation that will allow re-importation of drugs and that will require Medicare to negotiate lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries..

Learn more about Senator Sanders' work to make sure all Americans have access to affordable health care :