Chicago’s City Council unanimously approved a resolution urging Congress to pass Medicare for All, backing the Medicare for All Act introduced last year by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Debbie Dingell.

Physicians for a National Health Program welcomed the measure, noting Chicago would be the largest U.S. city to endorse Medicare for All and urging federal action.

The resolution calls on federal lawmakers to advance the Medicare for All Act of 2025 (H.R. 3069 and S. 1506) toward swift enactment.

The act would create a national health insurance program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, offering comprehensive care without deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments.

The article frames Medicare for All as a response to rising health costs and perceived inadequacies of the current ACA framework under a Republican-majority Congress.

Medicare for All would expand coverage to include dental, hearing, and vision services.

The resolution highlights that 11% of Chicagoans under 65 currently lack health insurance, arguing there is a moral obligation to provide universal health care.

Alderwoman Ruth Cruz, who introduced the resolution, described healthcare as a human right and argued Medicare for All would reduce costs and improve outcomes by centralizing care.

U.S. Rep. Jesús García highlighted Chicago’s uninsured rate (14%) and supported the federal bill, pointing to ongoing costs and inequities in the current system.

The resolution states that if enacted, the bill would provide comprehensive coverage for primary, preventive, medical, emergency, reproductive, dental, hearing, vision, mental health, substance abuse treatment, and long-term care for all Americans without out-of-pocket costs.

Support from health advocacy groups, including Physicians for a National Health Program and Public Citizen, stressed the urgency and moral case for universal coverage, citing patients who lack affordable care.

The resolution follows Illinois politics ahead of the 2026 primary, where Medicare for All has visibility through backers like Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and discussions about replacing the for-profit system with a public single-payer model.