Democratic Presidential candidates: who’s in favour

Most all of the Democratic presidential nominees support some variation of the idea of universal health care, or “Medicare for All” as it is often called. Be it a public option or a full-on path to dismantling private health insurance, most everyone has a plan for that (though no one has as many plans as our girl, Elizabeth Warren). And guess what? 70% of Americans do, too, according to a 2018 Reuters survey. Many journalists and advocates far more skilled and intelligent than I have laid out how these plans could feasibly work, as well as the numerous benefits such a program would provide. When positing the question as to why we do not yet have universal healthcare, the New York Times provides one compelling answer. Whatever got us to this point, we must focus on the future and getting it in place.

Equality doesn’t happen overnight or with one big, sweeping change or declaration: it happens in spits and spurts, by tending to tiny measures that slowly level the playing field. But also…universal access to healthcare for all the people who call America their home would go a long way towards some more just levels. Being able to take care of yourself and advocate for your own wellbeing are incredibly empowering things. If it weren’t for MediCal, I wouldn’t be able to afford the medication, therapy, and blood tests I need to make sure my mental and physical health are where they need to be, or at least heading in the right direction. Taking care of myself is a journey rife with triggers and emotional scars—and oftentimes it’s downright scary. When you add a financial burden to the equation, no one is getting ahead (except the people who own insurance companies). And I know I’m not alone. Having even just the safety net of a system like MediCal allows someone like me the security to get healthy enough to do my best work and make enough money to support myself financially and contribute to the economy in a way that benefits everybody. And if America needs anything, it’s to get better.

Images: Getty

"If I didn’t have Medicaid assistance for my mental health, I wouldn’t be alive today"