Sanders already concedes defeat on his single-payer healthcare bill

During an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, the liberal Sanders said he is going to introduce the legislation because of its “sensible and cost effective approach.”

“Medicare for all. Medicare right now works well for 65 and older, we should have it apply to everybody,” said Sanders, who has long called for single-payer healthcare, including when he ran for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. Sanders tried pushing similar legislation in back in 2009 and 2011.

Sanders said of his latest effort, “I am going to introduce that legislation,” but then conceded, “It will not pass under the current political climate where insurance companies and drug companies have so much power.”

He signaled a willingness to work with Trump on a bill to improve Obamacare after House Republicans failed to bring to a vote their repeal-and-replace plan after it became clear it would not get enough support to pass.

“Trump has talked a lot about taking on the pharmaceutical industry. I have legislation in that would save billions of dollars for the American people by allowing pharmacists and distributors to purchase prescription drugs from Canada and around the world,”‘ he said. “Will Trump work with us on those issues? The idea of a public option being made available in 50 states. This will improve Obamacare. Let’s work together trying to do that.”

Appearing with Sanders at a town hall in Vermont over the weekend, Democratic Rep. Peter Welch said he will introduce the House version of the bill. But he too admitted that he doesn’t see their legislative efforts going very far.

“Well, you know, it’s a goal. In this Congress, we won’t pass it,” Welch told reporters after the event, according to Vermont Public Radio. “But I think we have to do keep the goal out there, because we need in this country, like any industrialized country, a healthcare system that’s affordable, accessible and universal.”