Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a groundbreaking proposal to expand Medicare, aiming to provide in-home care for seniors as well as coverage for vision and dental services—an initiative that has drawn praise from progressive leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders. This new healthcare plan is poised to be a key issue in the 2024 presidential election, addressing the growing needs of the “sandwich generation,” adults who are responsible for both their children and their aging parents.
Harris revealed the proposal during an appearance on The View, citing personal experiences from caring for her own mother as a motivating factor behind the initiative. The proposal, dubbed “Medicare at Home,” would provide Medicare coverage for home health aides, vision care, hearing aids, and dental care for seniors. The plan, which Harris described as a direct answer to the financial and emotional toll of caregiving, aims to provide relief to millions of families across the United States who are struggling with the cost of healthcare.
Senator Bernie Sanders, a longtime champion of universal healthcare, was quick to endorse Harris’ plan, calling it a “bold vision” and a major step toward improving healthcare for seniors. “Congratulations to Vice President Harris for announcing a bold vision to expand Medicare to cover not only home healthcare, but also vision and hearing,” Sanders said in a statement.
“It is no secret that we have a major crisis in home healthcare. Millions of seniors would prefer, when possible, to receive care in their homes rather than be forced into nursing homes. Kamala’s plan is a major step forward not only in improving the quality of life for seniors and their families, but also in saving the healthcare system large sums of money,” Sanders continued. His endorsement underscores the significance of the proposal within progressive circles, where Medicare expansion has long been a top priority.
Harris’ plan expands Medicare in several critical areas. The most transformative element is the addition of home care coverage, allowing seniors to access services like home health aides, personal care attendants, and nurses. According to Harris, the goal is to help seniors avoid the financial burden of nursing homes while still receiving adequate care. This proposal directly addresses the needs of the growing sandwich generation—approximately a quarter of U.S. adults, according to census data—who are simultaneously caring for both aging parents and children.
Harris’ proposal would also expand Medicare to include dental and vision services, which are not currently covered by the program. “In the wealthiest country on Earth, millions of lower-income seniors today are unable to afford the hearing aids and eyeglasses they desperately need. That is not acceptable. Every senior in America should be able to access these basic healthcare needs,” Sanders added in his praise for the plan.
Labor unions and progressive advocacy groups have expressed strong support for the plan, emphasizing how it would significantly improve the lives of seniors and their families. Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, called Harris’ proposal “life-changing” for millions of seniors and people with disabilities. “Currently, seniors and people with disabilities who need care that family can’t provide are too often warehoused in dehumanizing nursing homes,” Lawson said, adding that Harris’ plan would give them the freedom to stay in their homes.
The proposal also drew attention for its contrast with the healthcare policies of former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate. Harris’ campaign highlighted Trump’s attempts to cut Medicare and Social Security during his time in office. In their statement, Harris’ campaign warned that Project 2025, a far-right initiative to privatize government functions, would make Medicare Advantage—the for-profit alternative to Medicare—the default option for seniors, undermining public healthcare protections.
Harris’ plan is estimated to cost at least $40 billion annually, based on a Brookings Institution study. The plan would be funded primarily through an expansion of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, which allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies. Harris has called for accelerating the implementation of this program and expanding it to cover more prescription drugs, which could save hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.
Marc Cohen, co-director of the LeadingAge Center, which advocates for nonprofit providers of aging services, praised Harris’ approach. “At some point, we will need to talk about a source, like Medicare itself, to pay for it. But I think that’s a very clever idea right now for getting this going,” he said. Cohen believes the plan could build the political support necessary to further expand Medicare and address the long-term care crisis.
While Harris’ plan stops short of Sanders’ vision of Medicare-for-All, it represents a significant expansion of government healthcare and could lay the groundwork for further reforms. Harris and her supporters see the plan as addressing the immediate needs of American families while also taking steps toward a more comprehensive overhaul of the healthcare system.
Sanders emphasized the importance of this initiative within the broader movement for healthcare reform, stating, “This is a major step forward not only in improving the quality of life for seniors but also in showing that we can expand public healthcare systems to meet the needs of all Americans.”
Sanders closed his endorsement with a clear call to action: “Thank you, Kamala. Every senior in America should be able to access these basic healthcare needs, and your plan gets us one step closer to that goal.”
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