Julian Castro on Health Care

	Julian Castro on Health Care Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrawn); former HUD Secretary

Strengthen Medicare and then expand to anyone who wants it

Q: One of your rivals suggested that running on Medicare-for-All would get Donald Trump reelected. Does your healthcare plan require Medicare-for-All, or a Medicare option?

CASTRO: Well, I know that this is something very personal for all Americans. You know I grew up with a grandmother that had diabetes and I watched as her condition got worse and worse. That whole time she had Medicare. I want to strengthen Medicare for the people who are on it and then expand it to anybody who wants it. I also believe thought that if somebody has a private health insurance plan that is strong that they want to hold on to that they should be able to do that. What I don't believe is that the profit motive of big pharma or big insurance companies should ever determine, in our great nation, whether somebody gets healthcare or not.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (second night in Detroit) , Jul 31, 2019

Denying health care for undocumented is un-American

What I would like every American taxpayer to know is that right now, number one, undocumented immigrants already pay a lot of taxes. Secondly, we already pay for the health care of undocumented immigrants. It's called the emergency room. People show up in the emergency room and they get care, as they should. And then third, it is the right thing to do. We're not going to let people living in this country die because they can't see a doctor. That's not who we are as Americans. Source: ABC This Week 2019 interview , Jun 30, 2019

US should be the healthiest nation

Medicare for All: He supports it, saying at an event with Iowa Democrats that the U.S. should "be the healthiest nation," per the Hill. Source: Axios.com "What you need to know about 2020" , Apr 22, 2019

Medicare for all, but allow private insurance

I want to make sure that we strengthen Medicare for the people who are on it and that we provide Medicare to everybody who wants it in this country, so that everybody can have the opportunity to get Medicare. If somebody wants to have their own private health insurance plan, they ought to have that. What I don't believe is that anybody should go without health care or that the profit motive should ever keep somebody from getting the care they need. Source: CNN Town Hall: 2020 presidential hopefuls , Apr 11, 2019

Would tax the richest to fund Medicare for All

Castro supports the "Medicare for All" system, and wishes to tax the rich "0.05, 0.5 or 1 percent" of citizens in order to fund it. Source: Townhall.com: "The 2020 Democrats" (presidential hopefuls) , Feb 4, 2019

Medicare for all, paid for by tax on wealthy

Health care: Create a universal health care system, "Medicare for all."
Castro has called for "universal health care," also referring to it as "Medicare for all."
He indicated he would consider paying for such a system by raising taxes on corporations and on the wealthiest "0.05, 0.5 or 1 percent" of Americans.

Source: PBS News hour on 2020 Presidential hopefuls , Jan 12, 2019

Americans should not be on their own for health care

San Antonio Mayor Juli n Castro endorsed President Barack Obama's $4 trillion deficit reduction plan over a Republican proposal that would "eviscerate" programs important to the city. Castro was one of several mayors pushed forward by the White House to sell the proposal publicly as Congress considers another $4.4 trillion measure with deeper spending cuts put forward by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

"The difference between what President Obama would have us take in terms of reduction, and what Rep. Ryan would do to cities, is drastic," Castro told reporters on a teleconference all arranged by the White House

Castro said he also was concerned about the Medicare changes under the Ryan plan, which tells baby boomers and those behind them "that you are completely on your own with respect to health care."

"I don't think that is who we are as Americans," Castro said.

Source: Gary Martin in Houston Chronicle, "Obama fiscal plan" , Apr 14, 2011

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*Other big-city mayors on Health Care:*	*Julian Castro on other issues:*
Tom Barrett (D,Milwaukee) Bill de Blasio (D,NYC) Rahm Emanuel (D,Chicago) Bob Filner (D,San Diego) Steven Fulop (D,Jersey City) Eric Garcetti (D,Los Angeles) Mike Rawlings (D,Dallas) Marty Walsh (D,Boston) *Former Mayors:* Rocky Anderson (I,Salt Lake City) Tom Barrett (D,Milwaukee,WI) Mike Bloomberg (I,New York City) Cory Booker (D,Newark,NJ) Jerry Brown (D,Oakland,CA) Julian Castro (D,San Antonio,TX) Rudy Giuliani (R,New York City) Phil Gordon (D,Phoenix) Tom Menino (D,Boston) Dennis Kucinch (D,Cleveland,OH) Michael Nutter (D,Philadelphia) Sarah Palin (R,Wasilla,AK) Annise Parker (D,Houston) Jerry Sanders (R,San Diego) Antonio Villaraigosa (D,Los Angeles)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty

Page last updated: Mar 25, 2021