Bernie Sanders was on fire in his defense of single-payer
Bernie Sanders did not pull any punches when Chuck Todd challenged him on single-payer healthcare at the most recent town hall in Las Vegas. In the past he has been less than effective in its defense. In fact, I interviewed his surrogate, former Ohio Senator Nina Turner today. I asked her to relay a message to the campaign on how to defend the fact that mathematically speaking there is no way single-payer is not less expensive than a multi payer system.
It seems like Bernie needed no help. He pointed out a fact privileged journalists like Chuck Todd fail to compute. We ration much more than countries like Canada or United Kingdom. Why? Our uninsured, underinsured, or high copay/deductible sick simply forego healthcare, self-rationing.
Here is the text.
Chuck Todd: Thank you. Before I get to the next question, Senator, I wanted to follow up on something you were talking about, the single-payer — referred to single-payer health care, talking about some of the European systems.
You know, a common complaint in those European systems has to do with wait times for treatment, wait times for seeing specialists. How do you propose in your Medicare-for-all system to not have Americans have to deal with rationing of care?
Bernie Sanders: Well, Chuck, let me answer your question…
Chuck Todd: I mean, this is a common — that’s what I said, it’s a common critique in Canada and the U.K. in particular.
Bernie Sanders: Whoa, whoa, whoa. But let me answer your question. You know, the insurance companies and the drug companies and their mouthpieces, they go around in telling us how terrible health care is all over the world. All these terrible waiting lines. And yet when they do international studies and they ask people how they think and how they feel about their health care system, you know what, the United States is often down below many of these countries on much higher levels. We are the only country in the industrialized world that doesn’t guarantee health care to all people. I’ve been criticized for saying it, let me say it again. I believe health care is a right of all people. I will fight for … are much higher levels. We are the only country in the industrialized world that doesn’t guarantee health care to all people. I’ve been criticized for saying that. Let me say it again. I believe healthcare is a right of all people. I will fight for a medicare for all, single payer system. Second of all, alright. You want to talk about rationing (ph), you got 29 million people in this country who have no health insurance. How’s that for rationing (ph). They can’t got to the doctor. And, then you got even more who are under insured with high deductibles, and high copayments. I have talked to doctors who have told me that people walk in the door extremely sick, and the doctors say, why didn’t you come in here six months ago when you first felt your symptoms? And people said, “I had no health insurance,” or, “I had a high deductible”. Chuck, some of those people die, or they end up in the hospital. You want to talk about rationing (ph), that’s rationing. To answer your question. We spend almost three times more per person than the people in the U.K., 50% more than the people in France. We can have a world class healthcare system without waiting lines, spending the same amount of money we’re spending right now.
Chuck Todd: With all due respect, the V.A., which is a system…
Bernie Sanders: I’m sorry, Chuck, I didn’t hear…
Chuck Todd: The V.A., which is a system that is designed to essentially be universal healthcare for veterans had wait times. Had a rationing situation. And, I know you tried to correct that, but we just had an experiment which we got — how do you guarantee that your plan is not going to experience the same problems…
Bernie Sanders: … Well, let me answer in — I just indicated to you. If, for example, there are systems, you’re right. Where if you needed a knee replacement, or something like that, you might have to wait for that. But, when you’re sick you go into the doctor when you need to go. My point is, Chuck, there’s massive rationing in America. It is rationing based on money. If you don’t have money, and you don’t have insurance, and you don’t have — you have a high deductible, and you don’t go to the doctor when you should. One out of five Americans today cannot afford prescription drugs their doctors write. What do you define that as? Other countries around the world make sure that the people have the medicine they need. When one out of five people can’t afford those prescriptions, man I call that rationing. We can do a lot better than we’re currently doing.
Chuck Todd: Alright, thank you, Senator.