Opinion: Michigan deserves Medicare for All - Detroit Metro Times

As a mother, I've witnessed the devastating impact of unaffordable healthcare on families in Oakland County. It's not uncommon to see seniors rationing prescriptions or delaying care due to mounting medical bills. The financial burden can be overwhelming, forcing many small business owners to choose between paying their employees' health insurance premiums and keeping them employed.

Growing up as an immigrant daughter, I understood the value of stability and security. My parents worked hard to build a life in this country, only to see it threatened by someone getting sick. No one should face bankruptcy because they need medical care. It's unacceptable that even families who follow the rules can lose everything due to unforeseen circumstances.

The data paints a stark picture: Michigan has higher rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity compared to other states. We die younger, experience more poor physical and mental health days each month, and struggle with transportation, education, income, housing stability, and social connection issues. These outcomes are not the result of individual choices but rather a product of poor policy decisions.

The report highlights that personal income is the single strongest predictor of health outcomes. Lower pay increases the risk of food insecurity, lack of regular medical care, and stress, which can make people sick. When income disparities intersect with race, the consequences become devastating – Black infants in Michigan die at nearly three times the rate of white infants.

This is why simply tweaking existing healthcare systems won't be enough. We need a comprehensive overhaul that puts people first. I support Medicare for All, a system that provides access to quality doctors, prescriptions, mental health services, and addiction treatment without fear of surprise bills or financial collapse.

A healthy Michigan isn't just about living longer; it's about living better with dignity and security. Our families deserve nothing less. As a candidate running in Michigan's 11th District, I will fight for lower costs, fairer rules, and a healthcare system that views Americans as human beings, not commodities to be exploited.

The stakes are clear: we need a healthcare system that prioritizes people over profits. We need to protect patients, ensure continuity of care, and provide access to medical services without fear of financial ruin. It's time for Michigan to take a stand and demand better from its leaders.
 
πŸ€• This is so messed up I feel bad even thinking about people having to ration meds just because they can't afford it. It's not right that people are being priced out of life due to some unexpected health issue πŸ’ΈπŸ˜·
 
I feel bad for those seniors rationing meds πŸ€•. I mean, who needs to choose between paying their employee or taking meds? That's like choosing between breathing and eating... not exactly options you get asked about in life! πŸ˜‚ But seriously, a Medicare for All system sounds like a solid plan to me. Can't have people worrying about bills while trying to get better, right? πŸ’Έ It's time for Michigan (and the US) to step up their healthcare game and make sure everyone has access to quality care without breaking the bank 🀝
 
omg u cant even imagine wat it's like 2 b in a fam where ur parentz r struggling 2 pay 4 meds n stuff πŸ€• i feel 4 these fams i genuinely do they rnt even tryin 2 get help cuz dey dont wanna b a burden or smthn

Michigan needs 2 take action 2 b honest, our healthcare system is whack it's all about the benjamins 4 profit not ppl πŸ€‘ we need Medicare 4 All like wat she said low income ppl r dyin bc dey cant afford meds n stuff

it's time 4 us 2 take a stand & demand better 4 ourselves & our fams πŸ€— we deserve 2 live w/ dignity & security not 2 worry bout gettin sick & bankrupted 😩
 
I totally feel you! I've seen friends' family members go through this too 😩 it's heartbreaking. The thing is, we need systemic change here. Just thinking about the stats in that report is just mind-boggling... higher rates of health issues in Michigan compared to other states? 🀯 And how income disparity intersects with race is just heartbreaking πŸ€•. I think Medicare for All is a solid plan - it's all about people first, you know? πŸ’– Not just about the profit margins πŸ’Έ. We deserve better than that. Our families should be able to live without the constant stress of medical bills πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ. It's time for change! πŸ’ͺ
 
πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ Ugh, another example of how broken our healthcare system is! Can't believe we're still paying more for subpar care than other developed countries 🀯. And it's not just the cost, but also the fact that good people are getting squeezed out because they can't afford health insurance πŸ’Έ. As someone who's lived with chronic health issues, I know how frustrating it is to be stuck in a cycle of debt and worry πŸ€•. We need systemic change, like Medicare for All, ASAP ⏰! No more playing catch-up with basic human rights πŸ‘Ž. Our politicians need to stop making healthcare about profit and start putting people over pills πŸ’Š. It's time for real change, not just empty promises πŸ“.
 
πŸ˜” I can only imagine how hard it must be to see loved ones struggle with unaffordable healthcare. It's heartbreaking that families are forced to make impossible choices between paying bills or taking care of their health πŸ’‰. The stats on Michigan's health issues are sobering, and it's clear that our system is broken πŸ€•. Every life deserves quality care without breaking the bank πŸ’Έ. I'm so tired of seeing people lose everything due to unexpected medical expenses 😩. A healthcare system that puts people first, not profits, is long overdue πŸ™Œ. Medicare for All could be a game-changer πŸ’‘. We deserve better than to be treated like commodities 🀝.
 
I'm so worried about the families in Oakland County who are struggling with unaffordable healthcare πŸ€•πŸ’Έ. As a parent, it breaks my heart to see people having to choose between paying their employees' health insurance premiums or keeping them employed. It's like, how can we even call ourselves a society when someone getting sick is a recipe for disaster? 😱

I've seen the stats on Michigan's healthcare rates and it's just heartbreaking 🀯. We're dying at younger ages and struggling with so many other issues like poverty, housing instability... it's like we're failing our own people! πŸ’” What's wrong with putting people first instead of just looking out for profits? πŸ’Έ

I'm all for a comprehensive overhaul of the healthcare system – Medicare for All sounds amazing 🀩. We need to make sure everyone has access to quality doctors, mental health services, and addiction treatment without worrying about surprise bills or financial ruin. That's what we should be fighting for as a society! πŸ’ͺ
 
🀝 I totally get it - the US healthcare system is a disaster waiting to happen! As someone who's seen friends struggle with medical bills, I know how crippling it can be. The stats on Michigan being one of the worst states for health outcomes are just eye-opening... I mean, who wants to live in a state where you're more likely to die from heart disease or cancer? πŸ€• And don't even get me started on the racial disparities - it's like, what kind of system allows Black babies to have nearly 3 times the mortality rate as white ones? 😱

The thing is, if we just tweak the existing system, nothing will change. We need a complete overhaul, something that puts people over profits for once. Medicare for All is not just some radical idea - it's a necessary step towards making healthcare accessible to everyone, without all the extra fees and hoops to jump through. I'm so tired of families having to choose between paying their employee's health insurance premiums or going bankrupt because one person gets sick... 🀯 It's time for leaders in Michigan to take responsibility and fight for better healthcare policies that prioritize human dignity and security. πŸ’ͺ
 
πŸŒŽπŸ’Š the current healthcare system is seriously flawed, it's not just about having access to docs & meds, but also about being able to afford the basic things that keep us healthy in the first place... like food & housing 🍲🏠 and mental health support is SO important too 🀝 we can't just expect ppl to be okay with rationing prescriptions or delaying care because they can't afford it πŸ’ΈπŸ•’
 
I'm really concerned about the state of healthcare in Michigan πŸ€•... I mean, how can people just ration their meds or delay care because they can't afford it? That's not fair, right? πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ... I've heard that lower pay is linked to poor health outcomes and stuff like food insecurity. It makes sense, but what about those who don't have jobs with decent pay? Shouldn't we be supporting each other more? 🀝...

I'm all for Medicare for All, it sounds like a way to ensure everyone gets the care they need without worrying about money πŸ’Έ... But isn't that just going to put more pressure on the system or something? Like, if we're not careful we'll just create more problems. πŸ€”...

It's so sad when you hear that Black infants are dying at nearly triple the rate of white infants 🚨... That's totally unacceptable and it needs to change ASAP. We need to do better, for everyone's sake πŸ™... I wish there was a way to make healthcare more affordable without sacrificing quality or... or... ugh, I don't know! πŸ˜•
 
man i feel so bad thinking about all those families struggling with medical bills it's just heartbreaking πŸ’” my cousin's sister has been dealing with this for years she had to choose between paying her rent or buying meds for her kid's chronic illness it's crazy how something that's supposed to make us better can actually make life worse 🀯

and i think the stats on michigan's health issues are just mind-blowing we're literally dying at a higher rate than people in other states 🀯 what's going on here? is it really because of income disparity or is there more to it than that?

anyway, i do think that tweaking our healthcare system might not be enough we need a complete overhaul if we wanna make sure everyone has access to quality care without breaking the bank πŸ’Έ maybe medicare for all could be the way forward? idk, but i'm definitely down to support something that puts people over profits ❀️
 
I can imagine how stressful it must be for families in Oakland County to deal with unaffordable healthcare πŸ€•. It's not right that people are forced to choose between paying their employees or keeping them employed πŸ’Έ. I've seen friends' parents struggle with medical bills and it's just heartbreaking πŸ˜”.

It seems like Michigan is missing the mark when it comes to addressing healthcare issues 🚨. The fact that personal income is the single strongest predictor of health outcomes is pretty wild πŸ’Έ. And to see Black infants die at nearly three times the rate of white infants is devastating 🀯. We need a comprehensive overhaul, not just tweaking existing systems πŸ’‘.

I'm all for Medicare for All - it seems like the only way to ensure people get quality care without worrying about surprise bills 😬. It's time for Michigan to take a stand and demand better from its leaders πŸ—£οΈ. We deserve a healthcare system that prioritizes people, not profits ❀️.
 
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