Democrats on the debate stage Tuesday attacked Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s support for “Medicare for all,” saying she was relying on Republican talking points in her justification for the plan.
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg criticized Warren’s support for “Medicare for all” earliest, asking why she would support a plan that takes agency away from Americans to choose healthcare plans for themselves.
After moderator Marc Lacey asked Warren to say whether “Medicare for all” would increase taxes, Buttigieg attacked the senator for neglecting to give a yes or no answer.
“We heard it tonight,” Buttigieg said. “A yes or no question that didn’t get a yes or no answer. This is why people are so frustrated with Washington in general and Capitol Hill in particular. Your signature, senator, is to have a plan for everything. Except this. ”
Warren, for her part, fired back at Buttigieg and his plan to allow Americans to either keep their private insurance or buy a government plan, which he calls “Medicare for all who want it.”
Warren instead called the plan “Medicare for all who can afford it,” saying it would not significantly lower costs for Americans who choose to keep their insurance.
“So my view on this, and what I have committed to, is costs will go down for hardworking, middle-class families,” Warren said. “And I will not embrace a plan that says people have great insurance right up until you get the diagnosis and the insurance company says, “Sorry, we’re not covering your expensive cancer treatments, we’re not covering your expensive treatments for MS.”
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar jumped in, telling Warren she was “making Republican talking points right now in this room” by suggesting a plan that would push millions of Americans off their current health plans.
After Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said that his Medicare for All plan would raise taxes on “virtually everybody,” Klobuchar took aim at Warren for being less forthcoming.
“At least Bernie’s being honest here and saying how he’s going to pay for this and that taxes are going to go up,” Klobuchar said. “And I’m sorry, Elizabeth, but you have not said that, and I think we owe it to the American people to tell them where we’re going to send the invoice.”
