02 U.S. Politics

Michigan Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is pitching Medicare for All as a universal health insurance guarantee with no premiums, copays, deductibles, networks, or out-of-pocket costs, despite warnings that eliminating virtually all patient costs would leave taxpayers responsible for the bill.

In an exclusive clip from an interview on Intellectually Petty Radio provided to Breitbart News, El-Sayed said:

“I think you need to guarantee health care for everyone, cradle to grave, without premium, copay, deductible. Medicare for all. And I just want you to imagine, right, that that card that you get in your — via your private health insurer — that card sits in your back pocket. You pay a ton of money for it, and it goes away if you lose your job. Now, imagine you had one right there, but you got the day you were born that doesn’t expire until you expire, God willing, after a long, healthy life at 120 years old in your sleep. You don’t lose it if you turn 26. You don’t lose it if you turn 65. You don’t lose it if you get married, get divorced. Doesn’t matter. It’s there for you. There’s no network, and there’s no cost out of pocket. That’s the security people need and deserve.”

The remarks show El-Sayed doubling down on Medicare for All with no premiums, no copays, no deductibles, and no out-of-pocket expenses.

Medicare as it exists today does not operate that way. Seniors commonly pay Part B premiums, face deductibles, and remain responsible for coinsurance and other out-of-pocket expenses. The program is also heavily subsidized by federal taxpayers and contributes substantially to the national debt.

The healthcare systems