Ashleigh Shenton | Support HCR12

I am a primary care physician in New Hampshire, and I am writing to express my support of this bill encouraging Medicare for All. All people deserve healthcare as a fundamental human right, and I have seen far too many patients lose access to essential healthcare due to inability to pay or lack of insurance coverage. Medicare for All would grant all Americans the opportunity to receive medical care. Beyond the humanitarian reasons for supporting this bill, Medicare for All has the potentially to be more financially sustainable. Having numerous private insurers adds costs via price inflation and middlemen without improving patient satisfaction or outcomes. The VA medical system, which is similar in structure to the proposed Medicare for All system, has been shown to have superior outcomes to the greater American healthcare system. It prioritizes equity and patient care within a reasonable financial structure. Shifting to Medicare for All would improve equity, health outcomes, and healthcare expenditures. Thank you for your consideration.