By Kimberly J. Soenen
The Fine Print Magazine, March 29, 2026
Two weeks ago, a major milestone was reached by the Single Payer Universal Healthcare movement coalition in the United States.
On Wednesday March 18th, at the Chicago City Council meeting, Lead Sponsor Alderwoman Ruth Cruz (30th Ward) led the Council’s adoption of a Medicare for All Resolution that was introduced by Illinois Single Payer Coalition and their supporting partners. As of this writing, 136 cities and counties have already passed Medicare for All Resolutions in favor of Congress finally enacting (National Improved) Medicare for All. (Senate Bill 1506 / House Resolution 3609).
Sandwiched between military invasions, sky-rocketing inflation, increasing danger at United States airports and a global safety communique issued by the United States of America State Department warning of potential harm to citizens globally as a result of violent policies being executed by the current administration, the passage of the Resolution received little national media attention despite its historical significance.
Many of the people who were instrumental in getting the Chicago Medicare for All Resolution across the line have been working on campaigns of this sort for years. To help THE FINE PRINT readers understand how incremental policy wins of this sort impact patients, medical care professionals, business owners and candidates running for public office, I contacted a few key players to get their take.
“Chicago now ranks as the second-largest city after Los Angeles in the United States to demand Medicare for All. With 50 Alderpeople in the council, getting this resolution passed required significant collaboration between a network of activists, local organizations, and local government leaders. As a national Medicare for All Resolutions campaign, we provide a lot of information and guidance, but it’s really that persistence at the grassroots level – and the leadership of Alderwoman Cruz – that won the resolution,” said Brittany Shannahan, Medicare for All Campaign Organizer for Public Citizen.
“The message is the same as when Cook County (Chicago) passed a similar Resolution in 2019: Medicare for All would save the city money and guarantee care to all residents. No other bill in Congress would do this. Fortunately, a majority of Chicago’s Congresspeople are already cosponsors. This victory broadcasts that six years and two administrations later, Medicare for All is still the main solution to our broken, for-profit healthcare system, and, that it’s up to all of us to keep mobilizing in this way, whether you’re in a small town, a rural county, or a major city,” said Shannahan.
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