Health Care

Advocates gear up for battle to provide all Rhode Islanders with a form of Medicare

On Wednesday, March 9, at 7pm, Providence DSA and PNHP RI will partner with the Olneyville Neighborhood Association to hold a bilingual Community Discussion about Medicare for All (Discusión Comunitario sobre Medicare para Todos) at the Olneyville Library, 1 Olneyville Square, in Providence. More information on this upcoming community discussion can be found here.

Rhode Island News: Advocates gear up for battle to provide all Rhode Islanders with a form of Medicare

February 17, 2022, 3:31 pm

By Steve Ahlquist

Bishop Nicholas Knisely of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island explained his longtime support for the Medicare for All single-payer plan, both as a “moral leader” and “a business leader” during a community discussion at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence earlier this month.

“One of the things that I know about all the non-profits here in the state – what I know about non-profits nationally – is that health care costs have a massive impact on our bottom line,” said Bishop Knisely. “While we won’t speak out for a particular candidate, we will certainly work within the secular world for moral outcomes – whether it’s climate change, Medicare for all or some sort of equity in housing.”

The Bishop’s support of Medicare for All (MFA) is grounded in his years of experience working with poor and inner-city communities and seeing the devastating effect that a lack of affordable healthcare has on working people and people of color.

His support as a business owner comes from managing over 50 parishes, “which are essentially small businesses” whose skyrocketing employee health insurance costs are a substantial burden that a MFA program could relieve.

The community discussion was organized by St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, the Providence Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and Physicians for a National Health Program RI Chapter (PNHP-RI). St. Martin’s rector Mark Sutherland and parishioners said they appreciated the opportunity to discuss important policy issues and echoed Bishop Kniseley’s comments about MFA.

Dr. J. Mark Ryan, Chair PNHP-RI, noted that every other industrialized nation in the world has a single payer-type program providing universal health care – and they get better health outcomes while paying about half per capita of what the United States. pays.

“Americans already pay enough to have universal comprehensive healthcare,” said Dr. Ryan, “we’re just not getting it.” He added that private corporations and their political allies have blocked MFA while also defunding and limiting Medicare and Medicaid; and such efforts must be opposed to avoid further harming patients.

State Representative David Morales (Democrat, District 7, Providence – RI Rank #1), stated that over 40,000 Rhode Islanders lack health insurance and nearly 50% of Rhode Islanders are “underinsured,” meaning that even with insurance coverage, people are choosing not to receiving the medical care they need because of high out-of-pocket expenses and premiums in their plans. He noted that state initiatives are necessary to break a federal gridlock. “We have the resources necessary to guarantee every Rhode Islander the healthcare coverage that they need,” said Representative Morales. “Admittedly, the barriers we are up against are very powerful because they are entrenched political interests and corporate interests, however, through grassroots advocacy and a groundswell support from across the state, we will build the movement we need to establish Medicare for All in Rhode Island.”

To achieve this initiative, Representative David Morales and Senator Sam Bell are introducing state legislation to establish a statewide single-payer Medicare for All program that would guarantee healthcare coverage (medical, vision, dental, and mental health) to every Rhode Island resident without the financial burden of out-of-pocket expenses and premiums. The financing of this program would require significant state investments into Medicaid, such as expanding program eligibility and increasing reimbursement rates. Following the expansion of Medicaid services, the legislation would direct the State of Rhode Island to apply for a waiver from the federal government requesting permission that the state be allowed to consolidate federal funds from Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA exchanges into a state single-payer plan.

All speakers urged the parishioners to speak to their legislators to advocate for federal and state MFA legislation.

“There is an unequal access to care in this country, and that is a shameful thing,” said Bishop Knisely. “And when we see something that’s wrong, we should not let it continue.”

On Wednesday, March 9, at 7pm, Providence DSA and PNHP RI will partner with the Olneyville Neighborhood Association to hold a bilingual Community Discussion about Medicare for All (Discusión Comunitario sobre Medicare para Todos) at the Olneyville Library, 1 Olneyville Square, in Providence. More information on this upcoming community discussion can be found here.

General information around this the Medicare for All campaign is available at Physicians for a National Health Care Plan, Rhode Island Healthcare Access & Affordability Partnership, and the Providence DSA.