The Green Party of New Jersey demands that comprehensive single-payer universal healthcare (from cradle to grave, leaving no one behind) be passed and implemented. The most efficient and effective method is to pass Medicare for All legislation, preferably on a national level. Moreover, the Green Party is the only national party in the United States that endorses Improved and Expanded Medicare for All as part of its platform. The Green Party of New Jersey platform also adopts this within the pillar of Social Justice.

Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Jayapal have released the new National Improved Medicare for All bills for the current legislative session (S-1506/H.R. 3069).

The Green Party of New Jersey supports this effort as a positive step toward a National Health Service and encourages everyone to contact their federal legislators to sign on to these bills. We are also working toward Medicare for All in New Jersey by supporting S-304, which would place all residents of New Jersey into traditional Medicare. Our Gubernatorial and Assembly candidates will be advocating for this effort during the 2025 campaign.

The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country, but has worse health outcomes, including a high infant mortality rate and the highest rate of people with multiple chronic diseases. How many more people must die from placing profit over people?

From 2001 to 2023, there have been more than 650,000 medical bankruptcies, and 100 million people in the United States currently have medical debt. This simply does not happen in other developed countries. The healthcare of our
people should not require a GoFundMe page. Providing for general welfare and health should be a top priority of the government. To accomplish this, profits must be removed from healthcare, and healthcare must be separated from employment. As such, the federal bills provide for cradle-to-grave universal health coverage,  which includes dental, hearing, and vision coverage, as well as long-term care for seniors.

As Medicare is already a national healthcare institution, it makes sense to structure the system as Medicare for All. According to a Yale study, the administrative and other savings from this system are estimated to be $458 billion a year, and 68,000 lives would be saved annually. No deductibles, co-pays, or premiums; just comprehensive healthcare for all, with the decisions being made by medical professionals and not insurance companies, which profit by denying care. Seventy percent of all Americans support universal healthcare without any private insurance middlemen. In addition to National Improved Medicare for All, the Green Party of New Jersey supports a state initiative to allow all residents to be covered by Medicare as it currently exists. A recent Eagleton Institute poll found that over 70 percent of New Jerseyans support Medicare for All, and 93 percent support such efforts at the state level. This poll was initiated by the New Jersey Universal Healthcare Coalition (NJUHC). The Green Party of New Jersey is a member of the NJUHC and sits on the Board.

Given the importance of healthcare and the current draconian federal administration, the Green Party of New Jersey is working with the NJUHC and all member groups to pass Medicare for All on a state level, providing current Medicare benefits to all New Jersey residents. For public health and sound policy reasons, this coverage is not limited to just citizens. S-304 has already been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature with important co-sponsors such as the Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee. The Coalition is working on Assembly sponsors and the introduction of a bill in that Chamber of the Legislature. While a work in progress, the bill can be viewed as a pilot project of National Improved Medicare for All, except it is state-based and would make all New Jerseyans eligible for Medicare as the system currently exists. This innovative approach is federally administered in that Medicaid and Medicare funding, as well as employer and employee contributions, would go into a trust fund to pay for the healthcare, and the program would be administered as Medicare. Because of the lower overhead, the cost would be less, and the coverage would be universal. The NJUHC estimates a 38 million dollar surplus to be used for expanding care. Moreover, all those in Medicaid would be on Medicare, ensuring equal coverage and avoiding Medicaid funding issues.

It is important to note that no additional new taxes would be needed to provide this healthcare coverage for all New Jerseyans. The administrative savings allow for the universal Medicare coverage. Moreover, the savings from the program would lead to lower property taxes, as public entities such as towns and schools would no longer be shouldering the cost of healthcare for their employees. Auto insurance rates would also lessen as the cost of medical care is a main driver of rates. Businesses (especially small businesses) would also benefit if they did not have to provide private healthcare plans to their employees. Healthcare has been a major concern of business owners for years. With their savings, they could provide more jobs and increase the pay of existing employees. The state effort does not abandon the National Improved Medicare for All “Gold Standard” approach. Rather, a Concurrent Resolution will be introduced asking the New Jersey Legislature to endorse the National Improved Medicare for All legislation. It is time that New Jersey and the rest of the nation recognize the benefits of universal single-payer healthcare in the form of Medicare for All. Together, we can save countless lives and improve the quality of life for millions.

We invite you to join us in the fight on Friday, May 30th, 2025 for a rally outside of Sen. Kim’s Barrington, NJ office! Sen. Kim has met with NJUHC many times over the years, but never backed Medicare for All legislation during his time as a Congressman. If Sen. Kim does not lead boldly to make a difference in people’s lives, he will continue to allow dangerous, dark, and destructive policies to prevail.

Register for the rally HERE.