Bernie Sanders: If you throw 32 million people off of health insurance, tens of thousands of people a year will die

"Short term, I hope that we can work with the Republicans to end the absurdity of us paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. Longer term we need a Medicare for all, and I will introduce that once this debate is over."

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Bernie Sanders appeared on State of the Union last week to discussing the Democrats’ role in repealing and replacing Obamacare.

Senator Sanders thinks that it is “absurd” to repeal the Affordable Care Act without replacing it with something immediately, as President Trump is now demanding.

Sanders states that this will lead to 10% of the American population, or 32 million people, being thrown off of health care. This could, according to doctors who have studied the issue, lead to tens of thousands of people to die each year. Politifact has checked this fact and found it to be true. 

With the Affordable Care Act, deductibles are too high, prescription drug prices are too high, people can’t afford their health care. Sanders says we need to “put these issues on the table and figure out how we deal with them in a bipartisan manner.”

The senator goes on to say that Congress, so far, has refused to talk about a significant issue:

“I live 50 miles, I’m talking to you 50 miles away from the Canadian border, somehow they manage to provide health care for all of their people at a significantly lower cost per capita than we do, and so does every other major country on Earth.”

Sanders believes that enacting a better health care system with bipartisan support is possible, but that all the issues need to be put on the table and discussed with the interest of the American people in mind. He also believes that it needs to be done without providing millions of dollars in tax breaks to the rich.

Towards the end, Sanders sums up his main points:

“Short term, I hope that we can work with the Republicans to end the absurdity of us paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. Longer term we need a Medicare for all, and I will introduce that once this debate is over.”

You can watch the entire interview above.

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Alexandra Jacobo is a dedicated progressive writer, activist, and mother with a deep-rooted passion for social justice and political engagement. Her journey into political activism began in 2011 at Zuccotti Park, where she supported the Occupy movement by distributing blankets to occupiers, marking the start of her earnest commitment to progressive causes. Driven by a desire to educate and inspire, Alexandra focuses her writing on a range of progressive issues, aiming to foster positive change both domestically and internationally. Her work is characterized by a strong commitment to community empowerment and a belief in the power of informed public action. As a mother, Alexandra brings a unique and personal perspective to her activism, understanding the importance of shaping a better world for future generations. Her writing not only highlights the challenges we face but also champions the potential for collective action to create a more equitable and sustainable world.

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