Thread by @IbraheemSamirah

As thousands of Virginians lose their jobs, many are simultaneously losing their healthcare coverage. It's hard to understate how dangerous & devastating that is during a pandemic.

We need a system where healthcare is a condition of your humanity rather than your employment. 1/5

I introduced legislation just a couple months ago that would have provided Medicare-priced health insurance plans for any Virginian.

While it's not the gold-standard of single-payer healthcare, it's one of the biggest things individual states can do without federal help. 2/5

Most of my colleagues decided we shouldn't pursue that kind of bold healthcare policy this session. There was certainly other work to get done in such short time.

But the thousands of Virginians who still lack any healthcare coverage were counting on us, and we failed. 3/5

Now, in the midst of a deadly pandemic, that number of uninsured Virginians is set to grow, & there's little we can do immediately to ensure healthcare for all.

What we can do however is begin to challenge old notions about what is/isn't possible when it comes to healthcare. 4/5

We can affordably cover every last Virginian.

We can ensure that that coverage is your right regardless of your employment situation.

We can cut the wasteful, profiteering private insurance companies out of the equation.

And we have an obligation to get that done. 5/5