Artwork by Camille Shea
The very first hearing on S 233 - Comprehensive Health Insurance Program Act (AKA Medicare For All) is happening this Thursday at 4pm. This is the first hearing of many to come this year, and we want to start off strong.
We need members of the Senate to know why passing this bill is a matter of life and death for many Rhode Islanders. If you want to provide verbal testimony, sign up at this link and say that you want to support S 233, introduced by Providence DSA member State Senator Sam Bell by 4 pm this Wednesday.
Here are some instructions on how to testify, including a verbal testimony template. Here are some FAQs about S 233. But don’t feel like you have to learn everything to testify! Keep it simple and keep it personal.
Our current healthcare system does not support working families. More than 40,000 Rhode Islanders had no health insurance before COVID, and in the first few months of the pandemic an additional 20,000 lost their insurance when they lost their jobs. Most uninsured people in RI are adults who work full- or part-time but cannot afford coverage either through their employer (if it is offered) or through the state. Even among people with insurance, nearly 50% are underinsured—meaning they avoid seeking healthcare because of high deductibles or copays.
This is why Providence DSA has launched a campaign to support Medicare for All in Rhode Island.