A draft of the Democratic Party platform shies away from Bernie Sanders’ proposal to turn Medicare into a single-payer healthcare system.
The draft platform released Friday instead looks to expand on Obamacare, reflecting the position of presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton.
“We will keep costs down by making premiums more affordable, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and capping prescription drug costs,” a draft of the platform said. “Democrats will also work to end surprise billing and other practices associated with out-of-control medical debt.”
Democrats also included a measure to push the roughly 19 states that have been holding out from expanding Medicaid to do so.
The platform does not mention Sanders’ policy to expand Medicare to all people and to abolish private insurance through a single-payer program where all healthcare is paid by the government.
On paper, the ambitious plan would extend healthcare coverage to nearly 30 million people who do not have it and completely get rid of both Obamacare and private insurance.
However, it would be very costly.
A May report from the left-leaning think tank Urban Institute found that Sanders’ plan would raise taxes by $15.3 trillion from 2017-26. But to make the plan work, Sanders would need to raise another $16.6 trillion.
Meanwhile, the Democratic platform also outlines what they would do to lower prescription drug costs.
The platform said it would prohibit “pay for delay” deals. Such deals involve a brand-name drug manufacturer giving generic drug manufacturers money to hold off on making a cheaper generic version of the drug.
Democrats also propose enabling individuals, pharmacists and wholesalers to import pharmaceuticals from Canada. The FDA currently bars wholesalers from buying such imports, but essentially turns the other way if consumers do it.
The platform added that Democrats will push to make sure Medicare can negotiate for lower prices with drug manufacturers, a popular policy idea from the party that has also been embraced by presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. However, prior federal studies have questioned whether such a move would actually reduce spending.
The platform will be finalized at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month.
