Montana Gov. Steve Bullock lashed out at 2020 Democratic opponent Beto O’Rourke over his healthcare plan, saying Democrats should build on Obamacare rather than having a complete overhaul of healthcare.
“Congressman, not at all. It took us decades in false starts to get the Affordable Care Act. So let’s actually build on it, a public option allowing anyone to buy in. You know, we pay more for prescription drugs than anyplace actually in the world,” the Montana Democrat said. “We have nothing to show for it. Negotiate prescription drug prices. End surprise medical billing. That’s the way to get there without disrupting the lives of 160 million people.”
Bullock’s attack on O’Rourke, a former Texas representative, came after O’Rourke said the governor was giving America “a false choice.” O’Rourke said Bullock was only improving Obamacare “at the margins.”
O’Rourke’s campaign staff continued defending his healthcare plan on Twitter during the debate.
[Related: Sanders and Warren take flak from centrists over ‘Medicare for all’]
We don’t have to choose between the status quo, which leaves millions of Americans uninsured, and a plan that eliminates private insurance entirely. Medicare for America is the best way to achieve universal, high-quality, guaranteed health care. pic.twitter.com/KGaY8KCUF7
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 31, 2019
The answer is no: We do not need to raise taxes on the middle class to guarantee high-quality health care to every single American.
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 31, 2019
