Bernie Sanders 'Medicare-for-All' Applies to 'Every Person' in the US - Even Illegal Immigrants
Last Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders was back in Congress to share updates of his signature proposal "Medicare-for-All." His proposal offers medical aid to all residents.
What makes the bill slightly different is that it would also apply to illegal immigrants in the US.
Senator and 2020 Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders has launched a medical aid proposal called “Medicare-for-All.” Last week, the senator explained that the medical aid plan "guarantees, like every other major country on Earth, health care to every man, woman and child in this country.”
WASHINGTON — Sen. @BernieSanders reintroduces his Medicare-for-All plan along with some of its cosponsor, including @SenJeffMerkley and fellow 2020 presidential opponent, @SenGillibrand. pic.twitter.com/TrqF6Bm7wV
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 10, 2019
He further explained that his proposal wasn’t socialism stating: "No. Actually it is not. It's similar to what the Canadians have.” The plan would cover all necessary health care at a cost.
It’s expected it would cost the government around $25 to $32 trillion over the next decade. Defending the potential cost Sanders said: "What's expensive and what's unsustainable is the current health care system."
Sen. @BernieSanders is now leading the polls in the packed field of 2020 Democratic candidates. Today, 4 of his opponents in that race are co-sponsoring his universal health care plan "Medicare For All."@edokeefe sat down with Sanders: https://t.co/uAQrsFm2NQ pic.twitter.com/swEDiasE00
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) April 10, 2019
He elaborated, "We are spending twice as much per capita as any other nation." His plan would also "get rid of insurance companies and drug companies making billions of dollars in profit every single year."
#MedicareForAll is not just a piece of health care legislation. It is a struggle for the soul of who we are as a nation. We will be opposed by some of the most powerful forces in our country — together, we are going to defeat them and guarantee health care as a human right.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 13, 2019
The senator added:
"Under Medicare-for-All, we cover all basic health care needs, so they're [insurance companies] not going to be there to do that. I suppose if you want to make yourself look a bit more beautiful, you want to work on that nose, your ears. They can do that.”
The legislation was signed onto by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, N.Y., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Its wording didn’t directly reference immigrants but stated that coverage would include US “residents” instead.
Interesting comments from @BernieSanders in our conversation. Our thanks to him and his team for his time today. More of our chat about Medicare-for-All airs Wednesday on @CBSThisMorning. #Campaign2020 #realnews #issuesthatmatter https://t.co/NFZlBZfyGD
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 9, 2019
The House bill also prohibits the government from denying benefits because of "citizenship status." Sanders clearly stated: "My plan would cover every U.S. resident."
The new bill is different from the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare because it doesn’t limit its benefits to citizens, nationals, and “lawfully present” immigrants.
WATCH: @BernieSanders explains his Medicare-for-All plan and opines on being the "frontrunner." https://t.co/A0FeHhjHIq
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 10, 2019
In a summary of the bill, distributed ahead of a news conference on Capitol Hill, Sanders' team wrote:
"The Medicare for All Act will provide comprehensive health care to every man, woman and child in our country without out of pocket expenses. No more insurance premiums, deductibles or co-payments. Further, this bill improves Medicare coverage to include dental, hearing and vision care."
