Our healthcare system is broken. Families here in Wicomico County know that better than almost anyone. The cost of health insurance keeps rising, and millions of Americans still cannot afford basic coverage. We pay more for healthcare than any country in the world, yet our life expectancy is shorter, and our outcomes are worse than those of other industrialized nations.
That is why I am grateful that our United States Senator, Chris Van Hollen, has publicly supported Medicare for All this past week.
I was born and raised here, and like most places on the Shore, we live with the reality of a healthcare desert. Even though the Affordable Care Act helped reduce the number of uninsured people, the cost of care has continued to climb. Too many residents still do not have a doctor. Too many specialists are booked months out or located hours away. Too many families delay care because they cannot afford the bills. I have gone through periods in my own adult life without health insurance. I know the fear that comes with hoping you do not get sick. I know how many people in our community still live with that fear every day.
Medicare for All would not just guarantee health insurance for every American. It would save lives. Researchers estimate it would prevent around 68,000 avoidable deaths each year. It would reduce U.S. healthcare spending by about 13 percent, roughly $ 450 billion a year. Over a decade, that is about two trillion dollars in savings.
The Middle Class would spend far less on healthcare than they do now. A family making around $60,000 a year would pay up to 14% less in total healthcare costs. Small businesses would also get relief. Right now, they are responsible for providing insurance to their workers, which makes it harder for them to hire, grow, or reinvest in their business. Medicare for All removes that burden, so our local businesses can focus on serving their customers rather than navigating insurance paperwork.
Prescription drugs would finally become affordable because Medicare would be able to negotiate prices on behalf of the entire country. That means lower costs for insulin, EpiPens, inhalers, cancer medications, and the everyday medicines people here rely on. No one should have to choose between paying their rent and paying for the prescription that keeps them alive.
Medicare for All also means more choices, not fewer. Right now most people get their insurance through their employer, and those plans often limit which doctors you can see. Under Medicare for All, you would never lose coverage if you change jobs. Every doctor and every hospital would be in network for every person. That includes cancer specialists, pediatricians, psychiatrists, and nursing homes. There would be no copays and no deductibles for any health services, including primary care, prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, and long term care. Doctors and hospitals would remain private. Patients would simply have universal coverage that follows them wherever they go.
On the Shore, where access is already limited, that kind of stability matters. It means people can seek care when they need it instead of gambling with their health. It means our neighbors do not have to drive across the Bay Bridge to get the treatment they deserve. It means our seniors, our working parents, and our young people can live with less fear and more dignity.
So I am thankful that Senator Chris Van Hollen has taken this stand and helped move the national conversation forward. It is a bold step toward a system that finally puts people over profit.
Jared Schablein
Salisbury resident
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
