Dr. Abdul El-Sayed: “I’ve Worked to Expand Rx Kids. But We Still Need Medicare for All.”

MICHIGAN – U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed helped architect the broadest expansion of Rx Kids in Michigan through his leadership in Wayne County. This morning, rather than respond to recent criticism of her incomplete healthcare policy and her failure to stand for Medicare for All, State Sen. Mallory McMorrow chose to announce a proposal to build a similar program federally.

Rx Kids, spearheaded in Flint by Dr. Mona Hanna, is a direct grant program that provides cash assistance to new mothers and babies. After working with Dr. Mona to help rewrite the state’s lead contamination laws after the Flint water crisis, he teamed up with her as Wayne County’s leading health official to expand Rx Kids in Wayne County. As a leader who helped spearhead the largest expansion of Rx Kids in the state, Dr. El-Sayed understands that this program is critical. But it is not a substitute for full coverage public health insurance through Medicare for All. In a statement, Dr. El-Sayed said: 

“Rx Kids is an evidence-backed lifeline for mothers and babies, which is why I fought so hard to bring it to Wayne County. It’s an incredible program. I admire the state’s support for it and will always back more support for working moms at the federal level–as I have at the county level. However, for me, a cash support program is a piece of a much larger healthcare puzzle. Sadly, $1500 doesn’t go very far when you don’t have health insurance. To ensure moms and babies get the care they need beyond infancy, we must guarantee comprehensive, guaranteed health insurance for every American through Medicare for All. 

Too often, politicians use incredible programs like this to avoid having to explain what they want to do about healthcare more generally. That’s why I fought for Rx Kids AND why I will always fight for Medicare for All–guaranteed health insurance for every single American. Michiganders deserve a comprehensive conversation about how we’re going to fix our broken healthcare system. I’m looking forward to continuing to lead that conversation–because the only serious answer is Medicare for All.” 

As Director of Health, Human, and Veterans Service, Dr. El-Sayed worked alongside Wayne County Executive Warren Evans to successfully deliver a $7.5 million investment to expand Rx Kids into communities across Southeast Michigan. At a press conference in November announcing that expansion, County Executive Evans said:

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. During his time as director, he recognized the need and helped bring Rx Kids to Wayne County. His belief in this work helped lay the foundation for the launch we celebrate today. He was tremendously important to this program; not just his technical ability, but his passion to do things for kids.”

###