National Nurses United is working with hundreds of volunteers around the country to increase support for the Medicare for All Act of 2019, according to The New York Times.
Five things to know:
1. The single-payer bill would effectively eliminate private health insurance, mandating that the government pay for everyone's healthcare with tax dollars. The bill would also change traditional Medicare to cover more services, eliminate most copayments and deductibles and cover all Americans.
2. The nurses' union and other groups are taking advantage of the issue's recent prominence by canvassing in districts of the 123 House Democrats who have not supported the single-payer bill. Volunteers have knocked on 20,000 doors and gathered 14,000 signatures as of February 2019.
3. Democrats in Congress and on the campaign trail are divided between support for the Medicare for All Act and a "public option," which would allow Americans to either buy into a public program like Medicare or opt for private insurance.
4. Republicans warn the bill would lead to tax increases, long wait times and healthcare staff shortages. President Donald Trump has called the bill "socialist healthcare."
5. Polls indicate Americans largely support Medicare for All. That support falls, however, when people learn the program would involve higher taxes or the elimination of private insurance.