5th Democratic Primary Debate: on Health Care


Bernie Sanders: Current system is not only cruel, it's dysfunctional

Q: Former President Obama said that the country is "less revolutionary than it is interested in improvement. The average American doesn't think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it." Your comments?

SANDERS: Obama is right. We don't have to tear down the system, but people understand the system is not only cruel, it is dysfunctional. How do we have a system in which we spend twice as much as the people of any other country, and yet we've got 87 million uninsured. Five hundred thousand people go bankrupt because of medically related issues. They get cancer, and that's a reason to go bankrupt? We will introduce Medicare for all means no deductibles, no co-payments, no out-of-pocket expenses.

Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta Nov 20, 2019

Elizabeth Warren: People shouldn't make medical decisions based on cost

WARREN: I see millions struggling to pay their medical bills, 37 million people who decided not to have a prescription filled because they can't afford it. I will bring down the cost of things like insulin and EpiPens. I want to bring in 135 million people into Medicare for all at no cost to them. Everybody under the age of 18, everybody who has a family of four income less than $50,000. I want to lower the age of Medicare to 50 and expand coverage to include vision, dental and long-term care.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta Nov 20, 2019

Joe Biden: Reform healthcare, don't force folks off private insurance

BIDEN: We can do this without raising $30 trillion, $40 trillion. The majority of Democrats do not support Medicare for all. We should build on ObamaCare, adding a Medicare option in that plan, and allow people to choose. A hundred and sixty million people like their private insurance. And if they don't like it, they can buy into a Medicare-like proposal in my plan.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta Nov 20, 2019

  • The above quotations are from Democratic Primary Debate: November 20th in Atlanta, hosted by MSNBC.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Tom Steyer on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by Pete Buttigieg 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)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
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)
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)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 23, 2019