The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are pushing a Medicare for All plan that a recent White House Council of Economic Advisers report estimates would add $47.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. The report, titled "The Real Cost of Socialism in America," also projects that the plan would cost the average American household $355,000 in net fiscal burden, with the Medicare for All proposal accounting for the largest share.
According to the report, the DSA's agenda would force Americans to enroll in a government-run health system, eliminating private coverage and potentially increasing taxes on the middle class. The plan would also extend eligibility to undocumented immigrants, add gender-experimentation surgeries to coverage, and shift reimbursement rates away from private insurance to government set rates.
In contrast, Republicans in Washington recently delivered a $50 billion investment in rural health through the One Big Beautiful Bill for Wyoming. That legislation includes a $205 million allocation for the Rural Health Transformation Program, the largest targeted federal investment in rural healthcare in U.S. history. The program aims to expand primary, preventive, maternal, emergency, and behavioral health services, recruit and retain rural health workers, and modernize facilities and technology.
Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming congresswoman and Chair of the Article One Task Force for the Republican Study Committee, argues that the DSA's Medicare for All plan would close rural hospitals, add long waiting lists, and increase travel times for specialists. She notes that rural Wyoming residents already face two-hour drives to see specialists, and a single-payer system would add further delays and eliminate the private insurance buffer that helps rural hospitals stay afloat.
Under the DSA's proposal, the loss of private insurance reimbursements could force Critical Access Hospitals in Wyoming to cut specialized services, downsize emergency departments, reduce staff, or close altogether. Even hospitals that remain open could see longer wait times, as the supply of doctors, specialists, diagnostic equipment, and hospital capacity would not automatically increase to meet higher demand.
"The greatest concern is what Medicare for All means for our rural hospitals," Hageman said. "Private commercial insurance helps cross-subsidize the losses our rural hospitals incur from government programs. Under the Medicare for All proposal, the private insurance buffer would disappear as reimbursements shift towards government-set rates."
She also highlighted the projected cost of gender-experimentation surgeries under the plan, which the Council of Economic Advisers estimates could reach $68 billion over ten years. The plan would also force taxpayers to bankroll these surgeries, even if they have conscientious objections.
According to the report, the net fiscal burden of the DSA's eight examined policies would cost $355,000 per American household. The Medicare for All proposal alone would represent the largest portion of that cost. The report also notes that many middle-class workers could pay more in new taxes than they previously saved on health-care premiums.
Hageman urges that instead of dismantling private coverage, the focus should remain on investing in rural hospitals, strengthening the workforce, expanding access to innovative technologies, and allowing states to develop tailored solutions. She argues that the Rural Health Transformation Program exemplifies the right approach, offering locally led solutions rather than a one-size-fits-all federal program.
"Socialists promise free healthcare, but Wyoming would pay for it twice, first in taxes and then in time spent waiting," Hageman said. "The choice for Wyoming families should be clear: protect healthcare freedom rather than surrender control of your healthcare decisions to the Democratic Socialists of America."
Background: The DSA and Medicare for All
The Democratic Socialists of America is a political organization that advocates for a range of socialist policies in the United States. One of its flagship proposals is Medicare for All, a single-payer system that would replace the current mix of private insurance and public programs with a government-run health system. The plan aims to eliminate premiums and cost sharing for all Americans, but it would also require higher taxes to fund the expanded coverage.
What the White House Report Says
The Council of Economic Advisers released a report titled "The Real Cost of Socialism in America" that analyzed the fiscal impact of the DSA's agenda. The report estimates that the Medicare for All proposal would add $47.4 trillion to the federal deficit over ten years. It also projects a net fiscal burden of $355,000 per household for the eight socialist policies examined.
Rural Health Investment in Wyoming
Last year, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill for Wyoming, which included a $50 billion investment in rural health. The bill allocated $205 million to the Rural Health Transformation Program, the largest targeted federal investment in rural healthcare in American history. The program focuses on expanding services, recruiting and retaining a rural health workforce, and modernizing facilities and technology.
Impact on Rural Hospitals
Rural hospitals in Wyoming already operate on thin margins. The loss of private insurance reimbursements under a single-payer system could force these facilities to cut services, reduce staff, or close. Even hospitals that remain open could see longer wait times due to a mismatch between supply and demand.
Taxation and Cost to Households
The DSA's Medicare for All plan would increase taxes on the middle class to fund the expanded coverage. The White House report notes that many middle-class workers could end up paying more in taxes than they would save on premiums. Additionally, the plan would extend coverage to undocumented immigrants, further increasing costs.
Gender-Experimentation Surgeries
The report estimates that gender-experimentation surgeries covered under the plan could cost taxpayers $68 billion over ten years. The plan would require Americans to bankroll these surgeries, even if they have conscientious objections.
Key Points
- DSA's Medicare for All could add $47.4 trillion to the federal deficit over ten years.
- The plan would cost the average American household $355,000 in net fiscal burden.
- Wyoming's Rural Health Transformation Program received a $205 million investment in 2023.
- Gender-experimentation surgeries under the plan could cost $68 billion over ten years.
- Private insurance reimbursements that support rural hospitals would disappear under a single-payer system.
Why It Matters
Rural communities in Wyoming face long travel times for specialists, limited access to care, and thin-margin hospitals. A single-payer system could increase waiting times, reduce services, and impose higher taxes on working families.
FAQ
- What is the projected cost of the DSA's Medicare for All plan? The White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates it would add $47.4 trillion to the federal deficit over ten years.
- How much would the plan cost an average American household? The report projects a net fiscal burden of $355,000 per household.
- What investment did Congress make in Wyoming's rural health? The One Big Beautiful Bill for Wyoming included a $205 million allocation for the Rural Health Transformation Program.
