Nurses Protest in D.C. Urging Congress to Fund Health Care, Medicare for All

Healthcare Advocacy Rally Urges Congressional Action on Subsidies and Medicare for All

In a significant demonstration at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., nurses from the National Nurses United (NNU), the largest nurses union in the United States, gathered with Congressional allies and supporters to advocate for increased healthcare funding. The protest, held on December 3, included speeches and a march through Lafayette Park aimed at urging Congress to address critical healthcare issues.

The primary demands of the protestors were for Congress to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies before the year's end and to eventually implement Medicare for All. Without the extension, ACA marketplace premiums are projected to increase significantly in 2026, impacting more than 20 million people. The call for Medicare for All highlights the need for universal access to healthcare, which the union asserts is a fundamental human right.

View photos from the event here.

Mary Turner, RN and president of NNU, expressed the frustrations of healthcare workers, stating, “We’re tired of hearing concerns from our patients about affording their care. We cannot allow this broken system to fail patients further by allowing these ACA subsidies to lapse. This is a health crisis that needs to be addressed. In the short term, that means extending the subsidies. Long term, it means we must implement Medicare for All."

The NNU continues to advocate for Medicare for All, a single-payer healthcare model that aims to eliminate health disparities, control costs, and ensure equal access to care for everyone.

Speeches from the event emphasized the urgent need for healthcare reform. Senator Bernie Sanders highlighted the issue by asking, “How insane is it that in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, we lose tens of thousands of people every year because they’re uninsured or underinsured and can’t make it to see a doctor in time? How cruel is it that a significant percentage of people who get diagnosed with cancer go bankrupt and lose their entire life savings?” Sanders noted that over 60% of Americans support Medicare for All and expressed optimism about winning the fight for healthcare reform.

Representative Ro Khanna pointed out, “Our health care system is broken. Medical debt is a leading cause of bankruptcy. Big Pharma is raking in obscene profits while Americans struggle to pay for the prescriptions they need. We need Medicare for All. I was proud to stand with National Nurses United today.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who sponsors the Medicare for All bill in the House, added, “The American people deserve a health care system that works for them, not just billionaires and big insurance CEOs. We must immediately restore the ACA subsidies so premiums don’t go up in 2026, and also work to rebuild the entire broken system. It’s time for comprehensive health care where everyone’s in and no one’s out. It’s time for Medicare for All.”

Megan Essaheb, Director of Federal Affairs for People’s Action, warned, “Congress must choose: Health care for Americans or the consequences in the midterms. Johnson, Thune, and Trump are taking health care away from millions of people so they can give handouts to greedy CEOs and tech bros. Congress can and should ensure that all Americans have affordable health care, or own what they’ve done. If the GOP was worried about losing support in this year’s elections, just wait until Republicans seeking reelection are held accountable for skyrocketing costs and preventable tragedies that become GoFundMes in 2026.”

Paul Osadebe, Federal Unionists Network organizer, emphasized, “People across the country are fighting for their lives, and now Congress needs to fight for us. Restore the ACA. Protect our care. This isn’t abstract policy—it’s life and death for millions of people. Federal workers—like all working people—refuse to be neglected or attacked by the very government we serve. Now is the time to stand up for our healthcare, our communities, and our futures.”

Alankrita Olson, Board Member of Physicians for a National Health Program, described the moral injury healthcare workers face in a profit-driven system, stating, “Healthcare workers are facing a crisis of moral injury as they struggle to care for patients in a for-profit system that denies needed care, causes preventable suffering, and drives families into debt. Many are leaving the profession as a result, worsening an already broken system. Extending ACA subsidies will protect coverage for millions, but Congress must also pass the most sustainable, broadly supported reform: Medicare for All.”

National Nurses United, representing over 225,000 nurses nationwide, remains steadfast in its mission to push for substantial healthcare reforms. Affiliates of the union include the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.