Establishment Democrats in the US, like those who currently lead the party in congress, have long posed as champions of the decades-long struggle to implement universal healthcarecoverage. But the progressive wing of the party has always expressed doubt about their sincerity. And now, it seems that skepticism has been confirmed. Because a leaked documentfrom an aide to the most senior Democrat in congress shows that the establishment wing of the party has plans to derail the drive for universal coverage.
In cahoots with private health industry?
On 5 February, the Intercept broke a story that an advisor to House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi had met with executives of a private healthcare company. The story claims the aide, Wendell Primus, offered them assurances that the Democratic Party leadership would not pursue a universal healthcare coverage program. The Intercept had obtained a slideshow that Primus had shown to Blue Cross Blue Shield personnel that detailed the Democratic leadership’s objections to the proposal – known as ‘Medicare-for-all’ or ‘single-payer healthcare’.
