Fox News 2015 GOP primary debate: on Health Care

Bobby Jindal: ObamaCare changes American dream into European nightmare

JINDAL: Under President Obama and Secretary Clinton, they're working hard to change the American dream into the European nightmare. They do celebrate more dependence on the government. Give Bernie Sanders credit: he's honest enough to call himself a socialist. Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton, they're no better. If we were to expand Medicaid, we're going to have too many people in the cart rather than pulling the cart. This isn't free money. There is a better way to provide health care. Simply expanding Medicaid does not improve health care outcomes. In Louisiana, instead we're helping people get jobs so they can provide for their own health care.

Q: So Governor Kasich was wrong?

JINDAL: I don't think anybody should be expanding Medicaid. It's a mistake to create new and more expensive entitlement programs when we can't afford the ones we've got today.

Donald Trump: The insurance companies have total control over politicians

TRUMP: A complete disaster, yes.

Q: Saying it needs to be repealed & replaced.

TRUMP: Correct.

Q: Now, 15 years ago, you called yourself a liberal on health care. You were for a single-payer system, a Canadian-style system. Why were you for that then and why aren't you for it now?

TRUMP: As far as single payer, it works in Canada. It could have worked in a different age. What I'd like to see is a private system without the artificial lines around every state. I have a big company with thousands of employees. And if I'm negotiating in BY or NJ or CA, I have like one bidder. Nobody can bid. You know why? Because the insurance companies are making a fortune because they have control of the politicians. They're making a fortune. Get rid of the artificial lines and you will have yourself great plans. And then we have to take care of the people that can't take care of themselves. And I will do that through a different system.

George Pataki: Would have rejected Medicaid expansion for New York

JINDAL: I don't think anybody should be expanding Medicaid. It's a mistake to create new and more expensive entitlement programs when we can't afford the ones we've got today.

Q [to Gov. Pataki]: Is Gov. Jindal right?

PATAKI: I think he is right. I don't think you expand entitlements when so many people are dependent on government and when the money the federal government is offering is going to be taken away from you after just a couple of years.

Q: Would you have expanded ObamaCare in the state of New York, had you been governor at that time?

PATAKI: No, it should be repealed. And [on expanding entitlements], when I left, there were over 1 million fewer people on welfare in New York state than when I took office, replacing dependency with opportunity.

John Kasich: Expand Medicaid; everybody has a right to God-given purpose

KASICH: First of all, President Reagan expanded Medicaid 3 or 4 times. Secondly, I had an opportunity to bring resources back to Ohio. And the working poor, instead of them having come into the emergency rooms where it costs more, where they're sicker and we end up paying, we brought a program in here to make sure that people could get on their feet. And do you know what? Everybody has a right to their God-given purpose. Our Medicaid is growing at one of the lowest rates in the country. And, finally, we went from $8 billion in the hole to $2 billion in the black. We've cut $5 billion in taxes and we've grown 350,000 jobs.

Rand Paul: GOP has been fighting single-payer for a decade

TRUMP: As far as single payer, it works in Canada. It works incredibly well in Scotland. It could have worked in a different age. What I'd like to see is a private system without the artificial lines around every state.

PAUL: I've got a news flash: the Republican Party's been fighting against a single-payer system for a decade. So I think you're on the wrong side of this if you're still arguing for a single-payer system.

TRUMP: I don't think you heard me. You're having a hard time tonight.

Q: Mr. Trump, it's not just your past support for single-payer health care. You've also supported a host of other liberal policies. Use--you've also donated to several Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton included, Nancy Pelosi.

TRUMP: Most of the people on this stage I've given to, just so you understand, a lot of money.