Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar launched a broadside Wednesday at Democrats’ embrace of expanding Medicare to every American, calling it unsustainable.
“Under the [Affordable Care Act], you were promised that if you liked your plan, you could keep your plan, and if you liked your doctor, you could keep your doctor,” Azar said during a speech in Nashville on Thursday, referring to President Barack Obama’s infamous proclamation that later were belied by medical plan cancellations. “But under Medicare for all, no one’s even promising that you can keep your plan, or keep your doctor.”
Azar is attempting to blunt scores of Democratic attacks ahead of the midterm elections on the GOP’s efforts to repeal Obamacare, as well as their accusations that the administration is actively trying to sabotage Obamacare. Azar said that broadening Medicare would “undermine the security and access seniors currently enjoy, come at a staggering cost to taxpayers, and ignore what seniors are showing they want from Medicare today.”
He added that private insurance and access to top quality doctors would be restricted “to the elite few.”
Azar also mentioned several studies that have shown that the cost of “Medicare for all” would be $32 trillion over a decade.
“Today, 28 percent of federal spending is on healthcare. Under ‘Medicare for all,’ in 2022, 58 percent of the federal budget would be devoted to healthcare — dwarfing what any other major industrialized country spends,” he said. “Try fitting the Pentagon, Social Security, and every other federal program into that remaining 42 percent — just see how that goes.”
The attacks mirror other criticisms Republicans have levied on “Medicare for all.”
Proponents of “Medicare for all” say that while doctors and hospitals would be paid under Medicare rates, which are about 40 percent lower than private insurance rates, they would save money thanks to less paperwork and would enjoy more patients because of greater access to care.
Supporters also say that the policy would provide vital access to insurance coverage for all Americans and eliminate major problems like surprise medical bills and medical bankruptcies.
“Medicare for all” has gained traction among Democrats recently, and several progressives have touted their support in races challenging establishment Democrats. Most notably, progressive challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who knocked off 10-term Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley earlier this summer, made “Medicare for all” a key plank of her campaign.
Republicans have turned to criticizing the policy in part to respond to withering attacks from Democrats over the GOP’s effort to repeal Obamacare, a venture that was unpopular with voters.
