Healthcare consistently ranks as a paramount concern for American voters. As the 2028 Democratic presidential primary approaches (even if it seems premature), it is poised to be a defining battleground issue once again. The Democratic Party's internal debate over how to achieve universal, affordable care remains robust and varied, reflecting a diverse ideological spectrum within its ranks. While "Medicare for All" has emerged as a mighty rallying cry on the left, its precise meaning and proposed implementation vary significantly among potential candidates. Understanding these nuances is crucial for voters to grasp the true implications of each contender's vision for the nation's health system. This report will delve into the specific healthcare blueprints of the most prominent Democratic figures eyeing the 2028 White House, dissecting their interpretations of "Medicare for All" and their broader strategies for transforming or refining the nation's healthcare landscape.
"Medicare for All": A Spectrum of Ambition
The term "Medicare for All" carries a potent, yet often ambiguous, resonance in American political discourse. At its most ambitious, it refers to a complete overhaul of the existing healthcare system into a traditional single-payer model. This vision entails a national health insurance program administered entirely by the federal government, designed to cover all U.S. residents comprehensively from birth or upon establishing residency. Under such a system, private health insurance that duplicates the benefits provided by the government program would be eliminated, and patients would typically face no premiums, deductibles, or most copayments, with prescription drugs being a notable exception. The fundamental aim of this model is to establish healthcare as a universal human right, thereby delinking access to care from an individual's employment status or wealth.
The explicit elimination of duplicative private insurance within this traditional "Medicare for All" framework represents more than a mere policy detail; it signals a profound philosophical reorientation of healthcare. This approach directly challenges the existing multi-payer, market-driven healthcare industry structure, seeking to transform it into a public utility rather than a commodity. Such a shift would drastically alter the revenue streams and operational models for insurance companies, hospitals, and providers, leading to significant economic and political ramifications. The implications extend to questions of individual choice versus government control, as well as the role of the private sector in delivering essential services. This comprehensive model, as championed by some, embodies a radical departure from the status quo, aiming for a singular, government-controlled system where competition with the public plan would effectively be rendered illegal.
In contrast, the "public option" presents a distinct, market-integrated alternative to the single-payer model. This approach typically involves a government-run health insurance plan offered alongside existing private insurance plans within the marketplace. The primary objectives are to stimulate competition, drive down costs, and expand access to care, often through subsidies for lower and middle-income families. Unlike the single-payer vision, a public option does not aim to eliminate private insurance but rather to provide a robust and affordable alternative within the current mixed market system.
Pete Buttigieg's "Medicare for All Who Want It" serves as a prime example of this public option model. His proposal is designed as an alternative to private insurance, allowing individuals to opt in if they lack coverage or are dissatisfied with their current plans. A core tenet of this plan is expanded access, achieved through proposed subsidies that would cap premium payments at 8.5% of income, making the public option affordable for lower and middle-class families. Furthermore, low-income individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid would be automatically enrolled in the public option. However, they would retain the flexibility to opt out if they prefer private coverage. This framework explicitly operates within the existing market-based insurance system, maintaining a role for private insurers while introducing a government-backed competitor.
While presented as a choice-driven, market-friendly alternative, the public option is viewed by some as a strategic "back door" or "glide path" to a single-payer system. The argument is that a government-backed plan, with its potential for lower administrative costs and greater bargaining power, could gradually erode the private insurance market. As the public option becomes more attractive and affordable, more individuals would migrate to it, potentially driving up premiums for the shrinking pool of private insurance enrollees. This cycle, some analysts suggest, could eventually lead to a scenario where the public option becomes the dominant, if not sole, provider of health insurance, effectively achieving a single-payer outcome through market dynamics rather than legislative mandate. This perspective highlights the long-term, transformative potential embedded even within seemingly incremental policy proposals.
Leading Democratic Contenders and Their Healthcare Blueprints
The 2028 Democratic field boasts a range of prominent figures, each with a unique approach to the nation's complex healthcare challenges. Their interpretations of "Medicare for All" and their broader policy priorities reveal the strategic and ideological fault lines within the party.
Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris has demonstrated a notable shift in her stance on healthcare. While she once supported Senator Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for All" legislation, advocating for a single-payer system during her 2019 presidential campaign, her current position emphasizes building upon the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and focusing on affordability within the existing framework.
In 2019, Harris's "Medicare for All" proposal envisioned a national single-payer health program managed by the federal government, with the goal of universal coverage. This plan aimed to fully cover the entire population, with all healthcare costs paid for by the federal government, eliminating premiums, deductibles, copays, and other out-of-pocket expenses. A significant aspect of her 2019 plan was the explicit funding of health insurance for all undocumented and illegal aliens residing in the United States, a provision estimated to cost $1.8 trillion between 2026 and 2035 for covering an additional 11 million individuals. The plan projected an increase in federal spending by $44 trillion over a decade (2026-2035), with an estimated yearly cost of $4.3 trillion in 2028 upon full implementation. To finance this, Harris suggested significant tax increases, including a 4% tax on incomes exceeding $100,000 (with a higher threshold in high-cost areas) and taxes on stock and bond transactions. Still, these measures were projected to cover less than half of the new spending, leaving a substantial net federal cost of $2.3 trillion for 2028 alone. Her 2019 plan also specified a 10-year implementation period, a slower transition than some other single-payer proposals.
Since 2019, particularly within the Biden-Harris administration, her focus has shifted towards more incremental, affordability-driven reforms. Her current proposals build on the Inflation Reduction Act, aiming to cap out-of-pocket drug costs for all Americans at $2,000 per year and insulin copays at $35 per month, expanding benefits currently limited to Medicare recipients. She also seeks to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act premium support, which is set to expire in 2025, and expand efforts to cancel medical debt. A recent proposal includes a Medicare benefit for at-home care, extending support to seniors and people with disabilities. This evolution reflects a pragmatic adaptation to political realities, prioritizing widespread, tangible reforms over a radical overhaul of the entire system. This strategic pivot suggests an effort to appeal to a broader Democratic base and moderate voters, moving away from potentially divisive single-payer proposals towards a more politically achievable path of strengthening and expanding existing programs. The emphasis on "pocketbook issues" in healthcare signals a focus on voters' immediate financial concerns rather than a grand systemic transformation.
Gavin Newsom
California Governor Gavin Newsom has long been associated with the ambition of bringing single-payer healthcare to his state, having campaigned on the promise of universal coverage. While his rhetoric has often aligned with the single-payer ideal, his practical efforts at the state level have focused on expanding access through Medi-Cal and implementing cost-reduction measures within the existing framework.
Under Newsom's leadership, California has made significant strides in expanding healthcare access, becoming one of the first states to offer full-scope Medi-Cal to all eligible low-income adults regardless of immigration status. This expansion, which covered young adults in 2020, older adults in 2022, and all remaining adults in 2024, has been a cornerstone of his healthcare agenda. Beyond expanding coverage, California under Newsom has also prioritized lowering healthcare costs, particularly for prescription drugs and insulin, as well as increasing access to high-quality healthcare providers. The state has also invested heavily in transforming behavioral health services, making them more accessible, especially for youth, and safeguarding access to reproductive health.
Despite his past advocacy for a single-payer system, Newsom has encountered significant hurdles in translating that vision into reality at the state level. A commission he created to study California's transition to a single-payer system did find that a unified financing approach could save as much as $500 billion over the next decade by eliminating insurance industry profits and reducing administrative waste. However, independent estimates also suggested that funding such a system would require approximately $400 billion, nearly double the state's entire budget, leading to substantial pushback from state legislators concerned about the enormous tax increases that would be required. This experience at the state level underscores the significant financial and political challenges associated with transitioning to a single-payer system, even in a politically progressive state like California. His current focus on expanding Medi-Cal and reducing costs within the existing framework suggests a more pragmatic, albeit less ambitious, national approach if he were to pursue a presidential bid. The need for federal cooperation, as federal programs cover 40 percent of California's health spending, also underscores the complexity of a state-led single-payer transition.
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has positioned herself as a staunch advocate for affordable healthcare and a fierce opponent of cuts to critical programs, such as Medicaid. Her approach emphasizes strengthening existing safety nets and providing direct financial relief to citizens.
Whitmer's administration has undertaken significant initiatives to alleviate the burden of healthcare costs in Michigan. A notable collaboration with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt resulted in the forgiveness of over $144 million in medical debt for nearly 210,000 Michiganders, a program funded by a $4.5 million state budget allocation. This action aimed to ensure that fewer families face the impossible choice between food and medical bills, and to prevent people from delaying necessary care due to cost concerns. Her administration has also consistently worked to protect and maintain funding for the Healthy Michigan Plan, the state's Medicaid expansion program, which provides health insurance to over 2.6 million people, or one in four state residents. She has warned that federal cuts to Medicaid could result in millions losing coverage and hospitals closing, particularly in rural areas.
Beyond debt relief and Medicaid protection, Whitmer has championed policies to increase access to quality care, including signing bipartisan legislation to reform Michigan's prior authorization process, shorten wait times, and streamline interactions between providers and payers. She has also overseen the establishment of payment parity for telehealth services and protections for telemedicine access through Medicaid and state-regulated insurance products. Her administration has invested in maternal and infant health programs, including eliminating the five-year waiting period for pregnant women and new mothers who are legally residing in Michigan to access Medicaid. While some have described a "public option" as "Medicare Part E (for everybody)," Whitmer has not explicitly endorsed a national single-payer system, instead focusing on state-level actions and advocating for federal policies that expand access and affordability within the current framework, such as opening special enrollment periods for the Affordable Care Act during crises. This focus on direct, tangible relief and strengthening existing safety nets demonstrates a pragmatic strategy that could resonate with voters seeking immediate improvements without radical systemic change.
Pete Buttigieg
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a potential 2028 contender, has advocated for a healthcare plan he terms "Medicare for All Who Want It," a distinct public option approach that contrasts with a complete single-payer system. While he expressed support for "Medicare for All" in 2018, his presidential campaign solidified his commitment to a public option.
Buttigieg's "Medicare for All Who Want It" is designed as a Medicare-like public plan that anyone lacking coverage or unhappy with their current private insurance could choose to join. The plan's centerpiece is affordability, achieved through subsidies for both premiums and out-of-pocket costs, with a commitment to capping premium payments at 8.5% of income for lower and middle-class families. A key feature is the automatic enrollment of low-income individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid, although they retain the flexibility to opt out if they prefer private coverage. This approach aims to increase competition in the marketplace and drive down costs, operating alongside private insurers rather than replacing them. Buttigieg's plan also includes provisions to make healthcare more affordable for seniors by capping out-of-pocket expenses and ending surprise billing. Other priorities include strengthening the ACA marketplace by expanding cost-sharing reduction payments, encouraging telemedicine expansion, and investing in mental health and addiction services.
Buttigieg's "Medicare for All Who Want It" represents a strategic middle ground, seeking to achieve universal access through market competition while avoiding the political challenges of a full single-payer mandate. This approach aims to harness market forces to reduce costs while offering a robust government alternative, potentially appealing to a broader range of voters, including moderates who value choice. The concept that a public option could naturally lead to single-payer, as Buttigieg himself has suggested, positions his plan as a potentially transformative, albeit gradual, path toward a more government-centric healthcare system. This perspective suggests that if a public option proves superior in terms of cost and quality, it would naturally attract the majority of the population, thereby reshaping the market over time.
Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has emerged as a prominent voice in the Democratic Party, primarily focusing on strengthening existing healthcare programs and expanding access within the current system, rather than advocating for a sweeping federal overhaul. His public statements and state-level actions emphasize the protection of Medicaid and addressing critical healthcare needs.
Shapiro has been a vocal opponent of federal cuts to Medicaid, warning that such reductions would mean billions of dollars in lost federal aid to Pennsylvania, hundreds of thousands of people losing access to the health insurance program, and the closure of struggling rural hospitals. He has emphasized that states would be unable to offset such cuts, resulting in significant harm to vulnerable populations. Pennsylvania's Medicaid program covers approximately three million residents, nearly one in four Pennsylvanians.
At the state level, Shapiro's administration has focused on expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare for Pennsylvanians. His budget proposals include significant investments in rural health services, earmarking $10 million in Medicaid spending for rural hospitals and proposing a $15 million increase to the state's Primary Health Care Practitioner Program to address staffing gaps, particularly in underserved areas. He has also proposed expanding a loan repayment program to behavioral health workers across the state. Other key initiatives include reforming pharmacy benefit managers to lower prescription drug costs, requiring health insurers to cover preventive breast and ovarian cancer screenings, mandating coverage for telemedicine services, and establishing a Behavioral Health Council to enhance mental health and substance use disorder services. His administration has also worked to eliminate the Medicaid provider enrollment backlog, easing barriers to care for millions. Shapiro has also taken a strong stance against private equity firms "gutting" healthcare in Pennsylvania, proposing legislation to ban sale-leaseback schemes and give the Attorney General authority to block deals that threaten access to care.
Shapiro's emphasis on strengthening existing healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, and protecting Medicaid reflects a focus on practical, state-level improvements rather than a sweeping federal overhaul. His approach positions him as a pragmatic leader who prioritizes tangible access and affordability within the current system. This strategy suggests a belief that effective governance can deliver meaningful healthcare improvements without resorting to radical systemic changes, potentially appealing to voters who are wary of large-scale federal interventions but desire better access and lower costs.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stands as one of the most prominent and unwavering advocates for a comprehensive single-payer "Medicare for All" system. For her, healthcare is unequivocally a human right, not a privilege; her legislative efforts reflect a commitment to a comprehensive transformation of the American healthcare landscape.
Ocasio-Cortez proudly supports H.R. 1976, the Medicare for All Act of 2021, which aims to establish a single-payer system that guarantees healthcare for all, regardless of income or employment status. This model would eliminate copays and premiums, covering a wide range of services, including primary care, mental health, dental, vision, women's health, and emergency room care, as well as prescription drugs. A central tenet of this plan is the federal government's ability to directly negotiate prescription drug prices, leveraging its substantial purchasing power to reduce costs. The vision also includes uncoupling healthcare from employment, a critical benefit that is particularly evident during economic downturns or pandemics, when job loss can result in loss of coverage.
When faced with criticisms regarding the cost of such an ambitious agenda, Ocasio-Cortez offers a direct and pointed rebuttal. She argues that questions about funding healthcare are selectively applied, noting that similar inquiries are rarely posed for military spending or significant tax cuts. Her position is that "we pay for it with the same mechanisms that we pay for (any other government program)," through equitable tax policies that would ultimately be affordable for most Americans. She emphasizes that the efficiencies inherent in a single-payer system, such as eliminating insurance company profits, reducing complex billing costs, and curbing astronomically high administrative salaries, would offset the additional costs of covering everyone. This perspective underscores a profound ideological commitment to healthcare as a universal right, advocating for a complete overhaul of the current market-based system. Her direct challenge to funding criticisms by equating healthcare investment with military spending positions her as a leading voice for transformative change, asserting that societal priorities, not financial constraints, are the true determinants of policy.
Cory Booker
Senator Cory Booker has navigated a nuanced path on healthcare, demonstrating support for both the aspirational goal of "Medicare for All" and the more incremental step of a public option. He firmly believes that healthcare is a human right and that no one should go without quality, affordable care.
Booker was a cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act of 2019, which aimed to fundamentally transform the country's healthcare system by eliminating profit-driven health insurance corporations and providing every resident with improved Medicare coverage at a lower cost to families and the nation. This bill sought to ensure freedom of choice regarding doctors and hospitals, significantly lower prescription drug prices through federal negotiation, and expand coverage to include home and community-based long-term care services.
However, Booker has also articulated a pragmatic view of the public option, stating that it is the "first step" towards achieving Medicare for All. This perspective suggests that while a complete single-payer system remains the ultimate objective, a public option can serve as a transitional mechanism to accomplish this goal. Experts have observed that a public option could gradually erode the private insurance market, as doctors and hospitals might raise rates for private insurers to balance their books, leading to higher private premiums and more people shifting to the public option until it becomes the dominant or sole option. This strategic flexibility demonstrates a willingness to pursue incremental reforms that could ultimately lead to a more comprehensive government-led system.
Beyond the structural debate, Booker has championed proposals to protect the Affordable Care Act, increase access to care, lower costs, and integrate "Food as Medicine" programs into healthcare. He has also been a leader in improving maternal health, advocating for permanent postpartum Medicaid coverage and introducing legislation, such as the Black Maternal Health Momnibus.
Tim Walz
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a former vice presidential candidate, has actively pursued a public health insurance option at the state level, a policy he describes as "government-run healthcare". His experience in Minnesota highlights the complexities and political challenges inherent in implementing such a system.
Walz's plan in Minnesota allows people to buy into the state's MinnesotaCare program or requires insurers to offer a standardized plan. A significant aspect of his administration's healthcare efforts was the passage of a bill in 2023 granting all people in the state without legal status access to state-funded health coverage, which took effect in January. This initiative led to over 20,000 individuals without legal status enrolling, including approximately 3,000 children. However, this policy has faced considerable political pushback, with Walz and Democratic legislative leaders later facing pressure to make adult immigrants without legal status ineligible for MinnesotaCare in 2026 as part of budget negotiations in a nearly split legislature.
Critics of Walz's public option approach in Minnesota have argued that it would be more expensive and less effective, potentially requiring twice as much taxpayer money while serving fewer people than alternative solutions. Concerns have also been raised that a surge in people signing up for government plans with low reimbursement rates could significantly reduce access to care, particularly for struggling rural healthcare providers. Beyond the public option, Walz has overseen modifications to public safety duty disability benefits, limiting health insurance coverage for regular duty disabilities to five years. However, total and permanent duty disabilities retain coverage until age 65. The experience with a state-level public option in Minnesota, including the political divisions over covering undocumented immigrants, illustrates the ongoing tension between universal access and fiscal or political constraints. This underscores the difficulty of implementing even state-level government-run healthcare, suggesting that a national rollout would face even greater scrutiny and opposition.
Amy Klobuchar
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a former presidential candidate, advocates for a pragmatic approach to universal and affordable healthcare, emphasizing a public option and expanding existing Medicare and Medicaid programs rather than a complete overhaul to a single-payer system. She has cosponsored key legislation aimed at these goals.
Klobuchar supports providing a public option and expanding Medicare and Medicaid as pathways to achieving universal and affordable healthcare. She has cosponsored the State Public Option Act, which would empower states to allow all residents, regardless of income, to buy Medicaid coverage. Additionally, she supports the Medicare-X Choice Act, which would enable Americans to purchase a public health insurance plan based on Medicare. These proposals aim to expand access and affordability by building upon and integrating with the current healthcare system rather than replacing it entirely.
A central pillar of Klobuchar's healthcare platform is lowering prescription drug prices. She played a key role in legislation signed into law in 2022 that lifted the 20-year ban on Medicare negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, a measure projected to save millions of seniors significant amounts on their medications. This law also prevents drug companies from raising prices faster than the rate of inflation and caps out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D enrollees at $2,000 per year, with insulin copays capped at $35 per month.
Klobuchar has also focused on preserving access to healthcare in rural areas, supporting legislation like the Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital (REACH) Act and advocating for the expansion of telehealth services under Medicare. Her emphasis on a public option and strengthening existing programs, alongside aggressive drug price negotiation, positions her as a pragmatic reformer. This approach aims to achieve universal affordability and access through incremental, market-integrated changes, rather than a complete system overhaul, which may appeal to centrist voters who desire improvements without radical systemic disruption.
Conclusion: The Road Ahead for Democratic Healthcare
The diverse interpretations of "Medicare for All" among the 2028 Democratic presidential candidates underscore a fundamental tension within the party: the debate between transformative, single-payer reform and incremental expansion of existing programs. While figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez remain committed to a complete overhaul, eliminating private insurance in favor of a universal government-run system, others, including Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Gavin Newsom, and Josh Shapiro, lean towards strategies that either build upon the Affordable Care Act, introduce a public option, or strengthen state-level initiatives.
Common threads unite these varied approaches. Nearly all candidates prioritize increasing affordability, expanding access to care, and aggressively tackling the high cost of prescription drugs. There is a shared recognition that the current system leaves too many Americans vulnerable to financial ruin due to medical expenses. However, the methods proposed to achieve these goals diverge significantly. The single-payer advocates envision a system where healthcare is a public utility, wholly detached from employment and market forces, funded through broad-based taxation. Those favoring a public option or ACA expansion aim to leverage market competition and targeted subsidies to reduce costs and expand coverage, while maintaining a role for private insurers and offering a government-backed alternative.
The experiences of governors like Gavin Newsom and Tim Walz at the state level further illuminate the immense financial and political hurdles associated with large-scale healthcare reform, even when pursuing less radical paths than full single-payer. Their efforts to expand Medicaid and introduce public options highlight the complexities of implementation, including significant cost implications and political pushback.
As the 2028 election cycle progresses, healthcare will undoubtedly remain a defining issue. The Democratic nominee will face the challenge of uniting these diverse factions within the party while presenting a coherent and compelling vision to the broader electorate. The choice between a radical transformation and a more gradual, pragmatic evolution will shape not only the party's platform but also the future of healthcare access and affordability for all Americans. The ongoing policy discussions reflect a dynamic interplay between ideological conviction, political feasibility, and the urgent need to address the nation's persistent healthcare challenges.
References
American Action Forum. "Medicare for All: The Harris Plan." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.americanactionforum.org/research/medicare-for-all-the-harris-plan/.
AMCP. "Health Policy Positions: Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.amcp.org/blog/health-policy-positions-presidential-candidate-kamala-harris.
Ballotpedia. "Presidential candidates, 2028." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_candidates,_2028.
Biden-Harris Administration. "The Biden-Harris Administration Record." January 15, 2025. https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/15/the-biden-harris-administration-record/.
Booker, Cory. "Booker Joins Colleagues in Introducing Medicare for All." April 11, 2019. https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-joins-colleagues-in-introducing-medicare-for-all.
Booker, Cory. "Health Care." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.booker.senate.gov/about/issues/health-care.
BPD Healthcare. "This Week in Policy Wrap-Up for the Week of July 14, 2025." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://bpdhealthcare.com/icu_blog/this-week-in-policy-wrap-up-for-the-week-of-july-14-2025/.
Bridge Michigan. "Senate passes ‘big beautiful bill’: What it means for Michigan." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/senate-passes-big-beautiful-bill-what-it-means-michigan.
CBS News. "Josh Shapiro warns Pennsylvanians will lose health care and hospitals will shutter under GOP cuts to Medicaid." May 14, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/josh-shapiro-warning-gop-cuts-medicaid/.
CBS 8. "Governor Gavin Newsom: Universal Health Care Coverage California Budget." YouTube video, 2:10. January 11, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYn4dIDDQ7w.
Congress.gov. "S. 1506 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Medicare for All Act." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1506.
Congress.gov. "S. 1655 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Medicare for All Act." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1655.
Congress.gov. "S. 2073 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): To establish a State public option through Medicaid to provide Americans with the choice of a high-quality, low-cost health insurance plan." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2073/text.
Council for a Responsible Federal Budget. "New Infographics: 2020 Candidates' Health Plans." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.crfb.org/blogs/new-infographics-2020-candidates-health-plans.
Dingell, Debbie. "MLIVE: Whitmer, Dingell Sound Alarm About Potential Medicaid Cuts, What it Means for Michigan." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://debbiedingell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5553.
Gov.ca.gov. "Governor Newsom: GOP bill would rip health care from up to 3.4 million Californians, cost the state billions, close hospitals and clinics." May 20, 2025. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/05/20/governor-newsom-gop-bill-would-rip-health-care-from-up-to-3-4-million-californians-cost-the-state-billions-close-hospitals-and-clinics/.
Gov.ca.gov. "Health care." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.gov.ca.gov/priorities-and-progress/priorities/health-care/.
Gov.ca.gov. "In the Central Valley: Governor Newsom Highlights Nation-Leading Plan to Expand Health Care Access for All Californians." January 11, 2022. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/01/11/in-the-central-valley-governor-newsom-highlights-nation-leading-plan-to-expand-health-care-access-for-all-californians/.
Hoover Institution. "California's Governor Pushes Single-Payer Health Care." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.hoover.org/research/californias-governor-pushes-single-payer-health-care.
Insurance News Net. "DHS: 140,000 Minnesotans Could Lose Health Insurance Under Federal Tax Cut and Spending Package." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/dhs-140000-minnesotans-could-lose-health-insurance-under-federal-tax-cut-and-spending-package.
Katie Couric Media. "Who Will Lead the Democratic Party in 2028?" Accessed July 26, 2025. https://katiecouric.com/news/politics-and-policy/who-will-run-for-president-in-2028/.
KFF. "10 Key Questions on Public Option Proposals." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/10-key-questions-on-public-option-proposals/.
KFF. "Harris is Reframing Health as an Economic Issue." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.kff.org/from-drew-altman/harris-is-reframing-health-as-an-economic-issue/.
Klobuchar, Amy. "Health Care." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/health-care.
Klobuchar, Amy. "Seniors." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/seniors.
Klobuchar, Amy. "Sen. Amy Klobuchar on her new plan to help older Americans and their families." YouTube video, 8:01. February 19, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey9zbaC-cIA.
League of Minnesota Cities. "Changes to Public Safety Disability Benefits." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.lmc.org/news-publications/news/all/fonl-changes-to-public-safety-disability-benefits/.
Manhattan Institute. "Quantifying Medicare for All: Harris-Style." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://manhattan.institute/article/quantifying-medicare-for-all-harris-style.
Michigan Academy of Family Physicians. "Governor Whitmer Signs Prior Authorization Reform into Law." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.mafp.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=161&Itemid=145.
Michigan Health & Hospital Association. "Tag: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.mha.org/newsroom/tag/gov-gretchen-whitmer/.
Newsweek. "Democratic Presidential Candidates 2028." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.newsweek.com/democratic-presidential-candidates-2028-2104978.
Niskanen Center. "Can Pete Buttigieg Save Democrats from the Medicare for All Trap?" Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.niskanencenter.org/can-pete-buttigieg-save-democrats-from-the-medicare-for-all-trap/.
National Union of Healthcare Workers. "NUHW's helping drive California toward Medicare for All." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://nuhw.org/nuhws-helping-drive-california-toward-medicare-for-all/.
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria. "Healthcare." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/legislation/healthcare.
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria. "How Ocasio-Cortez Explains How We Pay for Medicare for All." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/media/in-the-news/ocasio-cortez-explains-how-we-pay-medicare-all.
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria. "Key Issues." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.ocasiocortez.com/issues.
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria. "Ocasio-Cortez Explains How We Pay for Medicare for All." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://pnhp.org/news/ocasio-cortez-explains-how-we-pay-for-medicare-for-all/.
Oregon Public Broadcasting. "Unauthorized immigrants could lose health care in states." May 18, 2025. https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/18/unauthorized-immigrants-could-lose-health-care-in-states/.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. "Shapiro Administration Highlights Devastating Impacts of Proposed Federal Medicaid Cuts on Rural Communities and Coverage for Hundreds of Thousands of Pennsylvanians." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/newsroom/shapiro-admin-highlights-devastating-impacts-of-proposed-federal.html.
Pennsylvania Insurance Department. "Shapiro Administration Highlights Devastating Impacts of Proposed Federal Medicaid Cuts on Rural Communities and Coverage for Hundreds of Thousands of Pennsylvanians." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/insurance/newsroom/shapiro-administration-highlights-proposed-federal-medicaid-cuts-rural-communities.html.
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. "Good Policy Tool Would Help More Pennsylvanians Purchase Affordable Plan What Consumer." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://palegalaid.net/news/good-policy-tool-would-help-more-pennsylvanians-purchase-affordable-plan-what-consumer.
PBS NewsHour. "How likely are 2028 Democratic contenders to use podcasts to reshape their image?" Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/how-likely-2028-democratic-contenders-are-using-podcasts-to-reshape-their-image.
PBS NewsHour. "A look at Harris and Trump's positions on healthcare policy." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-look-at-harris-and-trumps-positions-on-healthcare-policy.
PBS NewsHour. "2020 candidate Kamala Harris releases new details of her health care plan." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/2020-candidate-kamala-harris-releases-new-details-of-her-health-care-plan.
Pennsylvania Office of Governor. "Governor Shapiro Announces Full Implementation of Medical Licensure Compacts." YouTube video, 0:35. July 15, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX9K05mj9kA.
Pennsylvania Office of Governor. "Governor Shapiro Unveils 2025-26 Budget Proposal." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/governor-shapiro-unveils-2025-26-budget-proposal.html.
Pennsylvania Office of Governor. "ICYMI: Gov Shapiro Plan Stop Private Equity Gutting Health Care in Pennsylvania." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/icymi--gov-shapiro-plan-stop-private-equity-gutting-health-care-.html.
Pennsylvania Office of Governor. "Expanding Access to Healthcare & Investing in Public Health." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/governor/governor-shapiro-s-accomplishments/expanding-access-to-healthcare---investing-in-public-health.html.
Partnership for America's Health Care Future. "Senator Booker: Public Option Is 'First Step' To Medicare For All." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://americashealthcarefuture.org/senator-booker-public-option-is-first-step-to-medicare-for-all/.
Physicians for a National Health Program. "How Harris Left Medicare for All Behind." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://pnhp.org/news/how-harris-left-medicare-for-all-behind/.
Spotlight PA. "Shapiro budget aims to boost rural health, farms, and recreation." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2025/02/pennsylvania-shapiro-budget-rural-hospitals-medicaid-medicare-health-care-agriculture-outdoor-recreation/.
Stinson LLP. "Minnesota Legislature 2025 Recap." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.stinson.com/newsroom-publications-minnesota-legislature-2025-recap.
The Economic Review at UC Berkeley. "Pete Buttigieg's Plan for Free Market Medicare." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://econreview.studentorg.berkeley.edu/pete-buttigiegs-plan-for-free-market-medicare/.
The Heritage Foundation. "Government Monopoly: Senator Sanders’ Single-Payer Health Care Prescription." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.heritage.org/health-care-reform/report/government-monopoly-senator-sanders-single-payer-health-care-prescription.
Undue Medical Debt. "Governor Whitmer Announces First Round of Medical Debt Forgiveness, Erasing Over $144 Million for Nearly 210,000 Michiganders Across the State." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://unduemedicaldebt.org/press-release/governor-whitmer-announces-first-round-of-medical-debt-forgiveness-erasing-over-144-million-for-nearly-210000-michig/.
Undue Medical Debt. "Thousands of Michiganders to see medical debt relief." YouTube video, 2:07. June 26, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0iMWkc0iKs.
Whitmer, Gretchen. "Gov. Whitmer Highlights New Memo Finding That Republican Cuts to the Affordable Care Act Would Kick 120,000+ Off Their Insurance." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2025/06/13/whitmer-highlights-memo-that-republican-cuts-to-affordable-care-act-would-kick-120000-off-insurance.
Whitmer, Gretchen. "Governor Whitmer Leads Coalition of 12 Governors Calling on the Trump Administration to Increase Access to Affordable Health Care by Opening a Special Enrollment Period During COVID-19 Crisis." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2020/04/13/leads-coalition-of-12-governors-calling-on-the-trump-administration.
Walz, Tim. "Gruenhagen: Gov. Walz Renews Push for Minnesota Government-Run Healthcare." Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.mnsenaterepublicans.com/gruenhagen-gov-walz-renews-push-for-minnesota-government-run-healthcare/.
Add comment
Comments