Former Vice President Joe Biden immediately attacked California Sen. Kamala Harris on the second night of the Democratic debates Wednesday for “double talk” on the costs of Medicare for all.
“The senator’s had several plans so far. Any time someone tells you you’re going to get something good in 10 years, you should wonder why it takes 10 years,” Biden said. “If you notice, there is no talk about the fact that the plan in 10 years will cost $3 trillion. You will lose your employer-based insurance and in fact, you know, this is the single-most important issue facing the public and to be very blunt and to be very straightforward, you can’t beat President Trump with double talk on this plan.”
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“Vice President Biden, you’re simply inaccurate in what you’re describing,” Harris replied. “The reality is that our plan will bring health care to all Americans under a Medicare for all system. Our plan will allow people to start signing up on the first day. Babies will be born into our plan and, right now, 4 million babies are born every year in America. Under our plan, we will ensure everyone has access to health care. Your plan, by contrast, leaves out almost 10 million Americans.”
“So I think that you should really think about what you’re saying, but be reflective and understand that the people of America want access to health care and do not want cost to be their barrier to getting it,” she concluded.
Biden and Harris, the two highest-polling candidates on the debate stage, both released health care plans in July to much media attention.
Biden’s proposal would build on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rather than attempt to dismantle it, as some of his rivals envision with Medicare for all. (RELATED: Kamala Harris Uses Her New Medicare For All Plan To Go After Bernie)
Harris released her Medicare for all plan Monday ahead of the July round of debates. She seemingly walked back her support for eliminating the entire private health insurance market after saying she misinterpreted a question at the first round of Democratic debates in June.
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’s Medicare for all plan dominated Tuesday night’s health care talking points as candidates either praised it or offered critiques.
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