SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY

The Massachusetts Medicare for All bill will be heard by the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing on Tuesday, October 26! The hearing will be virtual and open to the public. After years of giving the Act a hearing, it’s time for the Joint Committee to report it out favorably!

There is an opportunity to provide both written and oral testimony; because we don't know when the meeting will conclude, and legislators will be giving much oral testimony themselves, we are asking supporters to submit written testimony.

Where to Send

You can submit written testimony in one email to the Joint Committee Co-Chairs:

  • John Lawn, at John.Lawn@mahouse.gov
  • Cindy Friedman, at Cindy.Friedman@masenate.gov
  • Also CC the Committee Director at timothy.oneill@mahouse.gov
  • please CC: legislation@masscare.org

Writing Tips

Write your testimony from a personal perspective, not a policy one. This can not be overemphasized. The committee will already be hearing from several experts on the policy case for Medicare for All - what they need to hear is how it will affect you, as a constituent, rather than how much money it will save the government, etc.

Draw in your identity - how does this bill impact you as a parent, senior, provider, worker, person of faith, young person, etc.? Share what parts of your identity are motivating you to support the Act.

You likely have a story - big or small - about how the healthcare system has failed you or someone in your family or community. It doesn't have to be a horror story to matter! If you don’t have a directly relevant personal experience, discuss your values  - how the current healthcare system violates your values - and why this legislation matters to you.

Keep it short, sweet, and to the point! Legislative aides read hundreds of testimonies. Keep your testimony to one and a half typed pages at the most.

 

 

Sample Testimony

"Dear Chairwoman Friedman, Chairman Lawn, and members of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, 

My name is [X] and I'm a resident of [X}.  I would like to offer testimony in SUPPORT of An Act Establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts ~ H.1267 & S.766.

As a senior, I have many unmet needs due to the significant holes in our current healthcare system. I am eligible for implants, but am struggling to come up with the thousands of dollars they will cost me out of pocket. Until then, I am restricted in the kinds of foods I can eat. I am on a fixed income, and the copays and premiums I must pay take a significant chunk out of my income, much of which is also spent on rent. Medicare for All would cover all necessary care, including my dental implants, as well as alleviate the high cost of healthcare. We are proud of Massachusetts for having a near-universal healthcare system; but it doesn't really feel that way to me.

Please report H.1267 and S.766 An Act Establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts, favorably. 

Thank you for your consideration,

(name)
(organization, if applicable)