6th Democratic Primary Debate: on Health Care


Bernie Sanders: Medicare-for-all costs average family $1200 instead of $12K

Sen. Bernie Sanders [to V.P. Biden]: Joe, you asked me how are we going to pay for [my healthcare plan]? Under your plan, I'll tell you how we're paying for right now. The average worker in America, their family makes $60,000 a year. That family is now paying $12,000 a year for health care--20% of their income. Under Medicare-for-all that family will be paying $1,200 a year.

Joe Biden: [Sen. Sanders' healthcare plan] costs $30 trillion over 10 years. The idea that you're going to be able to save that person making $60,000 a year on Medicare for all is preposterous. You're going to add 84% more and it's not going to be higher taxes? It's going to increase personal taxes.

Sanders: That's right. We got to increase personal taxes, but we're eliminating premiums, we're eliminating copayments, we're eliminating deductibles, we're eliminating all out of pocket expenses and no family in America will spend more than $200 a year on prescription drugs.

Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate Dec 19, 2019

Elizabeth Warren: A president can cut Epi-pen costs all by herself

Last year, 36 million Americans didn't have a prescription filled because they couldn't afford it. Many are people with insurance. People who can't do the deductibles. People who find out the drug is not covered. On day one, I'm going to attack the prices on drugs like Epi-pens and insulin and bring down those prices. The president can do that. That's going to save families hundreds of millions of dollars.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate Dec 19, 2019

Joe Biden: Medicare-for-all plan costs $30 trillion & will raise taxes

Sen. Bernie Sanders [to V.P. Biden]: Joe, you asked me how are we going to pay for [my healthcare plan]? Under your plan, I'll tell you how we're paying for right now. The average family makes $60,000 a year, and pays $12,000 a year for health care--20% of their income. Under Medicare-for-all that family will be paying $1,200 a year.

Joe Biden: [Sen. Sanders' healthcare plan] costs $30 trillion. Let's get that straight--$30 trillion over 10 years. The idea that you're going to be able to save that person making $60,000 a year on Medicare-for-all is preposterous. 16% of the American public is on Medicare now and everybody has a tax taken out of their paycheck now. Tell me, you're going to add 84% more and it's not going to be higher taxes, at least before he was honest about it. It's going to increase personal taxes.

Sanders: That's right. We got to increase personal taxes, but we're eliminating premiums, we're eliminating copayments, we're eliminating deductibles.

Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate Dec 19, 2019

  • The above quotations are from Democratic Primary Debate, December 19 at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, co-hosted by PBS Newshour and Politico.com.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Deval Patrick on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by Mike Bloomberg on Health Care.
2020 Presidential contenders on Health Care:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Dec 27, 2019