Sen. Bernie Sanders sparred with former Vice President Joe Biden and other moderate Democrats over his “Medicare for All” plan during Thursday night’s debate in Houston.
Sanders, with a strained voice, defended the proposal from attacks that it would be too expensive and that it would leave some employees without health care coverage.
Biden, who has criticized Sanders for wanting to scrap President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, said the’ plan would cost $30 trillion while his health care proposal would only be $740 billion.
“I’m for Barack,” said Biden, invoking the popular former president.
Under Sanders’ plan, the age of eligibility for Medicare would be lowered from 65 to 55 years of age during the first year and all children would be covered. In the second year, the age would be lowered to 45, and in the third year the age would decrease to 35.
Warren came to Sanders’ aid — as she did during the last debate in Detroit — saying that tax hikes “for wealthier individuals and giant corporations” would pay for Medicare for All, and though there would also be tax increases for middle class families, health care costs would be cut.
Sanders also fired back at the former vice president.
“Joe said that Medicare for All would cost over $30 trillion, that’s right Joe,” Sanders said. “Status quo, over 10 years, will be $50 trillion.”
“Every study shows that Medicare for All is the most cost effective approach to providing health care to every man woman and child,” he added.
Biden also hinted it would be un-American to adopt a universal health care system.
“Let us be clear, Joe, in the United States of America we are spending twice per capita on health care as the Canadians or any other major country on Earth,” Sanders said.
“This is America,” Biden responded.
Later in the debate, on the topic of the Iraq war, Sanders went on the offensive, contrasting himself with Biden.
“One of the big differences between you and me. I never believed Bush and Cheney on Iraq,” Sanders said.
In an interview in Iowa last Tuesday, Biden misstated he had immediately opposed invading Iraq after supporting the military action.
Health care has become one of the most important topics for voters in the Democratic primary, and it also happens to be one of the few pieces of policy the crowded Democratic field is divided on.
Fellow Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand all signed on as cosponsors for Sanders’ Medicare for all bill in the Senate. However, Harris has distanced herself from Sanders’ policy and Gillibrand dropped out of the presidential race last month.
Biden and Harris have released their own health care plans as alternatives to Medicare for All.
The former vice president would build on the Affordable Care Act by adding a public option to offer lower costs and cover more people. Harris’ proposal is similar to Medicare for All, but unlike Sanders, the California senator allows private companies to offer health insurance plans within the Medicare system for consumers.
Since mid-August, Sanders has focused on health care during his stump speeches, devoting the majority of the time to outline his proposal and how it differs from the Affordable Care Act.
Before the debate, Biden, who has been the frontrunner since he entered the race, was polling, on average, at 26.8%. Though Warren had leapfrogged Sanders earlier this week, the two are now in a statistical tie for second, with Sanders at 17.3% and Warren just behind with 16.8%.
And while the Democrats were on the stage, President Donald Trump got in on the action and had a plane fly over Houston with a banner reading “Socialism will kill Houston’s economy! Vote Trump 2020!”
