Hoboken City Council unanimously approves resolution calling for Medicare for All

The Hoboken City Council unanimously approved (9-0) a non-binding resolution at last night’s meeting calling for Medicare for All.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Hoboken joins a growing number of over 75 municipalities nationwide, including 12 in New Jersey – such as Trenton, Dover, West Orange, and Highland Park – that have spoken out saying they want to ensure people have the health care they need.

“Hoboken’s families believe the status quo in healthcare is unacceptable. Healthcare is a human right. Expanding Medicare to cover all Americans will ensure universal coverage and guarantee that no sick American ever will go bankrupt in order to get well,” 5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen, who sponsored the local legislation, said in a statement.

“The COVID-19 pandemic brings new urgency to this issue, as record-levels of unemployment have led to more families losing employer-provided benefits. When people delay regular, needed health care services due to lack of coverage, our population becomes sicker and faces higher mortality rates. Expanding Medicare coverage makes sound policy sense,” added Councilwoman-at-Large Jabbour, the resolution’s co-sponsor.

During the pandemic, Hudson County has seen over 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 2,000 residents have died of the disease, prompting some local leaders to call for an end to a healthcare system that has co-pays and out-of-pocket costs.

The New Jersey push for Washington to pass a Medicare for All bill has been spearheaded by the groups Our Revolution NJ and Public Citizen.

“More and more municipalities recognize that Medicare for All is a racial justice issue, an immigrant rights issue, an economic justice issue,” stated Anna-Marta Visky, Northeast regional organizer for Our Revolution.

“It’s time for all New Jersey House Democrats to join Congressman Frank Pallone and co-sponsor Medicare for All, to follow the lead of the growing number of local communities that support H.R 1976 in Congress.”