John Conyers for President

No, John Conyers is not running for President, but I wish he would. My dream ticket [of the current crop of Democrats] would be Edwards/Gore or Gore/Edwards, but if Al Gore absolutely cannot be persuaded, I'd happily vote for Edwards/Conyers.

Meanwhile, John Conyers has already done the heavy lifting on health care reform. In the 109th Congress, he introduced HR 676, The United States National Health Insurance Act, aka Medicare For All.

Some highlights [from the fact sheet]:

• Who is eligible? Every person living or visiting in the United States and the U.S. Territories
• What would be covered? This program will cover all medically necessary services, including primary care, inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, hearing services, long term care, mental health services, dentistry, eye care, chiropractic, and substance abuse treatment. Patients have their choice of physicians, providers, hospitals, clinics, and practices. No co-pays or deductibles are permissible under this act.
• How much would it cost me? Currently, the average family of four covered under an employee health plan spends a total of $4,225 on health care annually – $2,713 on premiums and another $1,522 on medical services, drugs and supplies. Under H.R. 676, a family of four making the median family income of $56,200 per year would pay about $2,700 for all health care costs, including the current Medicare tax.