“As an ER physician and family practice doctor, I’ve seen how well Medicare works. It ensures a healthy, secure retirement for millions of seniors,” Gill stated. “Medicare is more cost-efficient than private insurance and doesn’t profit by denying care. My proposal would guarantee everyone access to quality health care without any question of constitutionality.”

“I support an expanded and improved Medicare for All program that builds on the existing Medicare structure and allows every American to buy in to Medicare at any age” Gill continued. “This plan makes sense because it cuts costs and put patients first —not health insurance profits.”

Recent studies have shown Medicare is overwhelmingly popular.  A July 2011 Pew Research poll found that 88% of Americans support Medicare. According to the New York Times, Medicare is less expensive than private insurance due to lower administration costs and eliminating the need for corporate profits.

“There are a number of good aspects of President Obama’s plan and I salute him for finally getting Washington to address some of these issues,” Dr. Gill commented. He cited four major improvements under The Affordable Care Act: stopping insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions; allowing parents to keep their children insured until age 26; filling in the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” and ending lifetime caps.

“This Supreme Court ruling preserves these benefits but Republicans in Congress want to get rid of them,” Gill warned. “The voters agree that these elements of the plan are worth keeping and building on. But Republicans like my opponent, Rodney Davis, want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. They want to give more control to insurance companies and let them continue to deny care to protect their profits. Speaker John Boehner and the Republicans in Congress have promised to ‘repeal and replace’ but haven’t offered any realistic plan to limit skyrocketing costs on individuals, families or businesses.”

“This election offers voters a clear choice,” Gill concluded. “I support expanding Medicare. My Republican opponent Rodney Davis supports Paul Ryan’s plan to end Medicare.”

David Gill, a Bloomington emergency room doctor, is the Democratic nominee for Congress in Illinois’ new 13th District. He has never been on a government payroll or worked for a politician. His Republican opponent Rodney Davis has been a congressional staffer and paid political operative for 16 years.

Link to the press release Dr. David Gill for Congress