ABC This Week interviews during 2017: on Health Care

Bernie Sanders: ObamaCare alternatives need patient protections

SANDERS: Nobody thinks that ObamaCare is perfect. It has its problems. But every American has got to recognize, we are the only major country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people. We pay by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs because the pharmacy, the pharmaceutical industry is out of control ripping us off. So, what sensible people have got to do is not simply repeal the Affordable Care Act without any alternative, but you've got to sit down and say it's OK, what are the problems. How do we address it? How You just don't throw 20 million people off of health insurance. You don't privatize Medicare.

Q: But if that repeal happens, will you support piecemeal, step by step reforms?

SANDERS: Do we make sure that young people stay on their parents' health insurance? Do we make sure that there are no caps if you're dealing with cancer? It goes without saying that those patient protections have got to stay in place.