(Source: Bill Brown - Ardent Solutions)
On Monday evening, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) hosted a live stream on Instagram, slamming Democrats who oppose Medicare For All, given how many people have lost their jobs (and as a result, their health insurance) during the coronavirus pandemic, and instead support subsidizing COBRA, which allows some employees to keep their health insurance plans after they leave their jobs. During the stream, Ocasio-Cortez explains the problems with COBRA, and how its cost rivals other basic needs and expenses for several Americans, such as rent.
Ocasio-Cortez asked viewers if they approve of COBRA, and many of them apparently voiced their opposition to the program. However, in spite of this, there is an abundance of evidence as to why this is the fight Democrats are choosing over Medicare For All.
The health insurance industry has contributed $15.35 million to candidates for federal office this election cycle so far, $8.92 million of which have gone to Democratic candidates. In addition, it has spent $142.29 million thus far lobbying Congress. Regarding COBRA, House Democrats introduced the Worker Health Coverage Protection Act back in April to increase subsidies with the program in order to allow workers who have either been fired or furloughed due to the coronavirus pandemic to keep their current health insurance. As Ella Nilsen of Vox reported at the time:
"House Democrats’ bill would expand COBRA to cover 100 percent of the cost of a person’s health insurance premiums. Importantly, it would also cover 100 percent of premiums for furloughed workers — temporarily laid-off workers whose employers have promised they will return to work when economic conditions improve, and who still get health insurance through their employer."
Two of the three original cosponsors of the bill, Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Steven Horsford (D-NV), have respectively taken $37.5 and $49 thousand from health insurance industry PACs this election cycle. Additionally, industry lobbyists have donated to each of their re-election campaigns this year. Lobbyists who have contributed $1,000 or more to Dingell are Jason S. McKitrick, Andrew L. Woods, Stacey Smith, Rhod M. Shaw, and Vicki E. Hart. Horsford's donors in this area are Timothy Hannegan, Melanie Nathanson, J. Michael Hogan, Oscar T. Ramirez, Moses Mercado, Paul Brathwaite, Russell Sullivan, and Stacey Alexander.
Furthermore, when looking at congressmembers' personal finances, as of 2018, Democrats in Congress collectively own between $271 and $816 thousand in health insurance industry assets. This includes Dingell, who owns between $65 and $150 thousand in assets, and the average amount she owns ($107.5 thousand) is the sixth-highest out of all members of Congress who own assets in the industry.
Ocasio-Cortez's live stream came the same day that the Democratic National Committee's platform committee voted against adding Medicare For All to the party platform.
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