Business Leaders: Medicare Expansion Essential for Economic Recovery

U.S. Congress

As business leaders, we have seen skyrocketing healthcare costs cripple our businesses, eat up profit margins, and erase employee wage increases. We worked hard to keep employees on payroll and covered by health insurance during the pandemic, even when our businesses were shut down and our storefronts closed. Health insurance plans for employees and their families now cost as much as a new car - more than $21,000 a year.

The United States has a unique opportunity to act on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and make real reforms to our dysfunctional healthcare system. It is time to invest in and grow our successful public health programs, starting with expanding Medicare to cover hearing aids, dental work, and eyeglasses and lowering the enrollment age to 60.

From a business perspective, there are compelling reasons to expand Medicare now.

First, expanding the benefits would dramatically improve health outcomes for senior citizens across the country, restoring the original vision of the program when it was created in 1965. Second, it will save this country money because Medicare is more affordable than for-profit health insurance. And it will address the growing population of working older Americans who are uninsured, falling in that gap between private and public insurance.

Finally, lowering the Medicare enrollment age to 60 will reduce health care costs for businesses by up to 15%, a lifeline for businesses that have struggled to stay open during the pandemic.

A strong and successful Medicare program also results in lower healthcare costs for many businesses. The high cost and low benefit of employer health care plans are a significant drain on the business community and hampers economic recovery from the pandemic. Expanding Medicare would be a shot in the arm for business growth, expansion, and job creation.

Expanding Medicare is a good deal for businesses, taxpayers, and people seeking care. We call on Congress and the White House to seize this opportunity to bring 23 million Americans the relief of no longer worrying they are one job loss away from being uninsured.

To: U.S. Congress
From: [Your Name]

As business leaders, we have seen skyrocketing healthcare costs cripple our businesses, eat up profit margins, and erase employee wage increases. We worked hard to keep employees on payroll and covered by health insurance during the pandemic, even when our businesses were shut down and our storefronts closed. Health insurance plans for employees and their families now cost as much as a new car - more than $21,000 a year.

The United States has a unique opportunity to act on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and make real reforms to our dysfunctional healthcare system. It is time to invest in and grow our successful public health programs, starting with expanding Medicare to cover hearing aids, dental work, and eyeglasses and lowering the enrollment age to 60.

From a business perspective, there are compelling reasons to expand Medicare now.

First, expanding the benefits would dramatically improve health outcomes for senior citizens across the country, restoring the original vision of the program when it was created in 1965. Second, it will save this country money because Medicare is more affordable than for-profit health insurance. And it will address the growing population of working older Americans who are uninsured, falling in that gap between private and public insurance.

Finally, lowering the Medicare enrollment age to 60 will reduce health care costs for businesses by up to 15%, a lifeline for businesses that have struggled to stay open during the pandemic.

A strong and successful Medicare program also results in lower healthcare costs for many businesses. The high cost and low benefit of employer health care plans are a significant drain on the business community and hampers economic recovery from the pandemic. Expanding Medicare would be a shot in the arm for business growth, expansion, and job creation.

Expanding Medicare is a good deal for businesses, taxpayers, and people seeking care. We call on Congress and the White House to seize this opportunity to bring 23 million Americans the relief of no longer worrying they are one job loss away from being uninsured.