Moderate 2020 Hopefuls Embrace Medicare Buy-In, With Universal Coverage As A Longer-Term Goal
"Medicare for All" may be a litmus test for progressive Democrats, but moderates are aiming for a more centrist approach. Both Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) reiterated that, although universal health care is something good to aim for in the long-term, helping people with more practical solutions immediately is what they're focused on.
Pioneer Press:
Klobuchar’s CNN Town Hall: Five Questions And How She Answered Them
The senator expressed support for allowing the public to buy into Medicare or Medicaid, which she said could bring insurance rates down. Universal health care could be an option in the future, Klobuchar said, but now is not the time for that approach. “We have to start somewhere and I think we can do that much more immediately,” Klobuchar said. She added that officials must also address the rising costs of prescription drugs. (Faircloth, 2/18)
Bloomberg:
Sherrod Brown Wants Medicare Buy-In At Age 50 As An Option Now
Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown defended his push to allow Americans over 50 years old to buy into Medicare, rather than seeking universal government coverage as some progressive Democrats advocate, and said the odds of him running for president are about 50-50. ...Brown joined Democratic colleagues Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin in introducing a bill Feb. 13 that would allow Americans over 50 years old to buy into Medicare, the federal health insurance program that currently provides coverage for those 65 and older. (Waller, 2/17)
Kaiser Health News:
For 2020 Dem Hopefuls, ‘Medicare-For-All’ Is A Defining Issue, However They Define It
Democrats with 2020 presidential aspirations are courting the party’s increasingly influential progressive wing and staking out ambitious policy platforms. Front and center are three words: Medicare. For. All. That simple phrase is loaded with political baggage, and often accompanied by vague promises and complex jargon. Different candidates use it to target different voter blocs, leading to sometimes divergent, even contradictory ideas. (Luthra, 2/19)
