Pritzker Wants to Let Anybody Buy into Medicaid
J.B. Pritzker talks with reporters in Chicago earlier this year, after announcing he is running for governor. Tony Arnold/WBEZ
Several Democrats running for governor of Illinois are proposing the state enact universal healthcare.
J.B. Pritzker is the latest to come out with a plan.
He wants to let anybody buy into the Medicaid program which is currently meant for the poor, elderly and disabled.
Pritzker says that would help many Illinoisans who could lose their current insurance coverage, due to rising premiums, and attempts to repeal Obamacare.
Some of his rival Democratic candidates don’t like his approach.
State Sen. Daniel Biss, from Evanston, and Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar both say Pritzker isn’t going far enough. They say Illinois should create its own single-payer plan. That’s where all healthcare is paid for by the government, instead of private insurance. Pritzker also actually supports single-payer, but he says it’s an issue for the federal government.