California Senator Kamala Harris Kamala Devi HarrisKamala Harris using stardom to fundraise for Senate Dems: report Dem senator: Trump disclosed more to the Russians than Americans Calif. Senate candidate 'dabs' at debate MORE (D) announced during a town hall on Wednesday that she would support Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersWe might end up with single-payer healthcare, whether we like it or not Sanders: Single-payer isn't a litmus test for Dems OPINION | The real threat to our republic is the Orwellian Antifa MORE's (I-Vt.) "Medicare for All" bill, which would institute a single-payer health insurance system.
"I intend to co-sponsor the 'Medicare for All' bill because it’s just the right thing to do," Harris announced Wednesday at a town hall in Oakland.
"It's not just about what is morally and ethically right, it also makes sense just from a fiscal standpoint," she said.
The decision to co-sponsor Sanders's bill is Harris's first instance of publicly supporting single-payer.
In July, Harris said, "as a concept" she supported single-payer, but that lawmakers still needed to "work out the details."
Sanders said earlier this week that he was building support for his “Medicare for All” bill.
“You’re seeing more and more movement toward ‘Medicare for All," Sanders said. "When the people are saying we need healthcare for everyone, as more and more Americans come on board, it will become politically possible.”
The former presidential candidate's backing for the policy has raised questions about whether he and his supporters might launch primary challenges against Democrats who do not back a single-payer plan.
Sanders on Wednesday tweeted thanking Harris for her announcement as well.
"Thank you Kamala Harris for your support. Let's make health care a right, not a privilege," he tweeted.
cr0ft on August 31st, 2017 at 06:05 UTC »
Arguments against single payer care: the private health care companies make bank over the corpses of Americans.
Arguments for single payer care: everything else.
Right now, the US is paying 18% of its GDP on care, which is ludicrous. The UK, with their universal NHS system, are paying 9.9% and covering everyone and you pay nothing at the point of care, just your taxes.
And of course, no such thing as medical bankruptcy, which in the US accounts for 60% of all bankruptcies; 70% of those medical bankruptcies were people who had insurance, and the costs still broke them. Tens of thousands of excess deaths of citizens, also, from not being able to afford care. Millions who have no care.
I mean, the system is a nightmare - for everyone except the providers of care, the insurers, and big pharma, who make unbelievable amounts of money off the suffering.
athleticthighs on August 31st, 2017 at 02:14 UTC »
'Medicare for all' polls really well (60% favorable in a recent poll), that's the right way to talk about it. Go Kamala!
quantum_gambade on August 31st, 2017 at 01:15 UTC »
This has a snowball's chance in hell of passing, but as a Canadian it's always stuck me as insane that y'all didn't do this the first time around. Universal healthcare-despite its pitfalls-is a way better way to go. Even fiscal Republicans should see that a healthy population is a productive one; and law and order Republicans should see that health is a major determinant of crime.