Nurses for Single Payer has enthusiastically endorsed the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act (HCEGA) , introduced in Congress by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (H. R. 6906) and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( S. 3790).  HCEGA would guarantee health care coverage to all Americans during the pandemic, a critical need given the enormity of the economic and health care crisis .

HCEGA is the only bill in Congress which would provide comprehensive care to everyone, without financial barriers, during the pandemic.   In Oregon, we are delighted that Senator Merkley and Reps. Blumenauer, Bonamici, and DeFazio are all original co-sponsors of this legislation in Congress.  We encourage nurses to thank them, and to urge the other members of Oregon’s congressional delegation to sign on as well.

As nurses, we know the importance of universal access to care for all of our patients, and we also know that removing barriers to care is a first step toward addressing the horrendous racial inequities in health care which COVID-19 has laid bare for all to see.

You can read more about the bill here.