American healthcare is likely to receive a new shade under its first Latino HSS Secretary Xavier Becerra, who is newly appointed by president Joe Biden. Becerra, a well-known figure fighting for the championship of “ Medicare for All” may use his position to control the healthcare legislation issues he has fought in the past, like shipping prescription drugs from countries where the price is lower and issuing waivers to states so that they can create their Medicare for All systems.
- Becerra played a crucial role in drafting the Affordable Care Act during his 12 terms in the House of Representatives. Although he has championed the cause of ACA, he has always dreamt to see a single-payer healthcare system commonly called Medicare for All in the nation.
- In an interview with Kaiser Health News, Feb 2019, he said “for me, health care is my right. I have been a single-payer advocate all my life”. Becerra won the poll for his willingness to fight for a national health care system, combined with his comprehensive background working with lawmakers is exactly what Biden had wanted as a catalyst to his national health care plan.
- In recent years, the “Medicare for All” idea has been resurfaced and has gained notable impulse. The support for the centralized health payer plan has risen from 74% to 85% in Jan 2019.
- Michael Urban, a senior lecturer, and director of the doctorate of occupational therapy program at the University of New Haven said, “ what we could see from his role if (Becerra’s) confirmed is some change in the structure allowing the states to organize at the state level. He is a strong advocate of equality of access and trying to remove these inequalities.”