How the Democratic candidates responded to a health care policy survey

The first three questions asked whether the candidates supported three possible routes for changing how Americans receive health insurance: by creating a “Medicare for all” system that would eliminate private insurance; by providing a choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government and private insurance; or by making more modest changes to the Affordable Care Act.

Candidates could indicate support for more than one option. But in the fourth question, we asked which of the three options would be the best way to improve the health care system, and that is where a split in the field was revealed.

The survey also included several other questions about health insurance and coverage, how the candidates would finance their plans, and other matters like prescription drug prices.

Below are the responses from each of the 19 candidates. Many of the questions were posed in a yes-or-no format but also allowed the candidates to add additional comments. Some of the responses we received were written in the first person, while others were supplied by campaign staff members. Aside from a few corrected typos and minor punctuation changes for clarity, these are the full, unedited answers we received.

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Michael Bennet

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

We need to have universal coverage, lower costs, and improve quality — those are the three objectives we should be working toward. The best path to achieve those objectives is with Medicare-X, my plan to create a strong public option that provides people with the choice of buying into that option or keeping the insurance they receive through their employer or union.

In just four years, Medicare for All would take health insurance away from about 180 million Americans who receive their insurance through their employer or their union, the vast majority of whom like it. And it would take insurance away from another 20 million people who receive insurance through Medicare Advantage.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

The best path to covering all Americans with high-quality, affordable health insurance is with Medicare-X, my plan to create a strong public option that provides people with the choice of buying into that option or keeping their private insurance.

Medicare-X would start in rural areas where there is one or no insurer to increase competition and lower costs. It would then expand to every ZIP code, and become available as an option on the small business exchange. Medicare-X would also, for the first time, allow the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of the American people. By using the existing Medicare framework, it does all of this without adding any bureaucracy.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

We should build upon the Affordable Care Act, including by extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans who are above the ACA cliff of 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. My Medicare-X plan would do that, in addition to increasing support to families under the 400% threshold who are currently receiving tax credits to help pay for insurance.

But we shouldn’t stop there. Medicare-X would also provide everyone with the choice of purchasing a public option, and it would allow the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices. We also need to reduce the cost of health care by increasing transparency and modernizing how we care for people.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

If you went into a living room anywhere in the country and told everyone about Medicare-X, my plan to create a true public option, I believe it’s a plan they could get behind. We don’t need to blow up our current health care system to provide everyone with high-quality, affordable care. And we don’t need to take insurance away from people who receive it through their employer and like it. Medicare-X starts in rural areas where the market is failing too many people. It covers essential health benefits and uses Medicare’s network of doctors and providers. It allows the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices. And it does all of this without creating any new bureaucracy.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

All Americans should be covered by high-quality, affordable health insurance. For people who are already eligible for Medicaid and other programs, our default should be for those programs to cover them. States that have yet to take advantage of the Medicaid expansion in Obamacare should do so in the best interests of their residents. Ultimately, by offering a strong public option through Medicare-X, we can accomplish universal coverage.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

My Medicare-X plan would save taxpayer dollars relative to the current health care system, even as it covers millions more people. For example, a more modest public option has previously been projected by the nonpartisan, independent Congressional Budget Office to save $158 billion for taxpayers over a decade. That’s because a public option like Medicare-X requires premiums, but also cuts health care costs relative to private health insurance. We would then take those savings and reinvest them in improving upon Obamacare, so that more middle-class Americans are able to afford health insurance.

Notably, this differs dramatically from Medicare for All, which the nonpartisan Urban Institute has suggested would cost more than $32 trillion over the next 10 years. Regardless of whether people think this is the right approach, we have to acknowledge that nobody has shown how they would specifically pay for even a significant fraction of this total cost. According to Vox, when single-payer failed in Sen. Sanders’ home state of Vermont, it failed when taxpayers were confronted with the fact that it would necessitate an increase in payroll taxes of 11.5% and income taxes by 9%.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

My Medicare-X plan does not require a tax increase at all, because it saves taxpayer dollars relative to private health insurance. It allows the American people to choose this high-quality, affordable option instead of taking away their current health insurance.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

Undocumented immigrants should have the option of purchasing health insurance on the exchange.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

Americans are growing older, and we need to figure out how to provide them with long-term care.

Health coverage in long-term care is fragmented, insufficient, and inefficient. Americans shouldn’t be forced to spend down their life savings in order to be covered by Medicaid for long-term care. There are a number of ways to ensure that coverage is lifelong, and we should have that discussion.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

No.

The U.S. government should negotiate drug prices through Medicare Part D and other federal programs on behalf of the American people. Medicare-X does that.

Importation from Canada is not a sustainable solution, because the reason drugs cost less in Canada is that the Canadian government uses its leverage to negotiate prices downward. Even if Canada allowed us to import all of its drugs (which it will not), we would still not be able to supply the demand in the United States, and it would have a limited effect on overall prices. We are nine times the size of Canada, and Canada would be left with drug shortages, which it would never allow.

After writing and passing legislation to secure our supply chain, I’m also concerned about counterfeit medications sold through supposedly Canadian online pharmacies, which are often not even based in Canada.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

I support allowing the U.S. government to negotiate drug prices through Medicare Part D and other federal programs. That’s the only way to get drug prices under control for the American people. Medicare-X does that.

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Joe Biden

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

[The Biden campaign did not complete the survey, but indicated that Biden preferred a public option and referred to his statements on the campaign trail.]

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Cory Booker

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

Yes.

I support Medicare for All. There are different ways we can get there. Right now, there are several bills in the U.S. Senate that move our country closer to Medicare for All, and I’m a sponsor of them. The most important thing is to keep the ultimate goal in mind: affordable health care for every American, because health care is a human right.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

I am a co-sponsor of several bills in the Senate to create a public option, a powerful tool to introduce real competition into the market and drive down costs for consumers.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

Yes.

I support strengthening the ACA, including by extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans and undoing the Trump administration’s sabotage around enrollment, as one part of a broader effort to improve care and lower costs.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

“Medicare for all.”

I believe our country needs to work towards Medicare for All and have co-sponsored several bills to help do just that, including through a public option and lowering the Medicare eligibility age.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

It is important that every American has health insurance not only to keep individuals and families healthy, but also to help keep health costs stable.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

High out-of-pocket costs for people with insurance is one of the most concerning problems in our current system. On the path to Medicare for all, I support concrete steps to increase access and lower costs — including lowering the Medicare eligibility age and introducing a public option — all of which would be financed differently. Whatever the plan, we must do more to help low- and middle-income Americans, many of whom can’t afford to go to the doctor or get even basic preventative care due to prohibitive cost-sharing.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Our country already spends trillions of dollars on health care every year. By directing existing spending into a more efficient system, reducing the outrageous cost of many prescription drugs, and leveraging Medicare’s lower cost structure system, we can achieve savings that offset many of the costs of improving affordability and access. We can also raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, while ensuring that most families are paying less for better care.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

Access to quality, affordable health care is a human right. We need to make our health care system more effective and efficient, and we must pass comprehensive immigration reform that creates a pathway to citizenship for those already living in the United States.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

Long-term care is an integral part of health care, especially for people with disabilities.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

I wrote and introduced the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act along with Sens. Bernie Sanders and Bob Casey to allow for the safe importation of prescription drugs.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

I am an original co-sponsor of the Affordable Medications Act, which includes a number of provisions to bring transparency and competition to pharmaceutical companies responsible for outrageous drug prices. By allowing Medicare to directly negotiate with manufacturers, we can leverage the federal government’s buying power and cut costs for taxpayers and beneficiaries.

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Steve Bullock

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

Everyone should have access to health care — and it should be affordable to the individual and to the taxpayers. Access to health care shouldn’t depend on the size of your paycheck. It should be a right for all.

Through the ACA, we have been able to make great strides in ensuring coverage for more Americans, beginning to reduce the growth in health care costs, and providing better care inclusive of prevention, drug and alcohol treatment, screenings, and mental health care.

Yet even after the ACA, many people still can’t access care. And most of us are paying too much. More can be done.

About 156 million Americans are enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Moving immediately to a Medicare for All system would both undermine existing employer sponsored health care, upset a significant portion of the economy, and result in significant payroll tax increases for working Americans to cover Medicare for All.

At the same time, 25 million Americans still lack coverage, and the Trump administration is only making things worse.

I believe that we can increase access and affordability by providing a public option for Americans who want to buy into government insurance which will also ensure competition in the private market; allowing the federal government to negotiate drug prices and bring down the costs of prescription drugs; automatically enrolling Medicaid eligible people in Medicaid; and ending surprise billing and out of network charges.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

Yes.

The Affordable Care Act began to put America on a path toward significantly improved health care coverage, better health prevention and results, and reduced expenses. The Trump administration has worked aggressively to block the important changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act, resulting in reduced coverage, lower quality coverage options, and increased costs to consumers.

I believe by fully implementing the Affordable Care Act, providing a public option, allowing the federal government to negotiate drug prices, automatically enrolling people eligible for Medicaid, and ending surprise billing and out of network charges, we can significantly improve health care for all Americans.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

As a governor, I am on the front lines of implementing health care solutions. I will never forget testifying in front of the U.S. Senate about implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion, and how they had meaningfully impacted health care in our states. At the same time, as we were testifying, Republicans were trying to repeal the ACA and take our country backward. While some have the luxury of debating the ideal health care system, governors must implement effective systems that work for our constituents — and that’s what I have been doing in Montana.

Estimates indicate that a Medicare for All system would require between $2.5 and $3 trillion in new revenue each year. When you consider that the U.S. government is expected to bring in $3.6 trillion in 2020, an additional $2.5 to $3 trillion is a 69% to 83% tax increase.

The Affordable Care Act increased access to health care, behavioral health care, stabilized rural hospitals, improved health care in Indian country, provided preventative care, increased access to substance abuse treatment, and provided incredible improvements throughout Montana. Continuing to strengthen the Affordable Care Act while adding a public option and automatic enrollment for people eligible for Medicaid will go a long way toward full coverage, reduced costs, and improved health outcomes throughout the country.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

No.

The vast majority of health insurance is provided by employers. We must make it both more affordable to employees, and for employers to offer health care. Those who are not covered by employer-based health care must be incentivized to have coverage through a public option — and we should help with the incentives. A mandate, however, is not an incentive.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

The first thing we have to address is health care costs — for employers and families. Improving affordability will make it easier for everyone to access health care whether it is employer-based or publicly available.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Businesses that choose not to provide their employees with benefits, or businesses avoiding employee benefits through excessive use of contract employees, need to be examined.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

No.

Comprehensive immigration reform that protects our border, helps the Dreamers who have known no other home than ours, and provides a path to citizenship for immigrants who have been part of the fabric of our country for many years is the best way to address health coverage for people who want to become American citizens.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

No.

Long-term care is an increasingly important challenge for many families, and we should explore ways to make long-term care more affordable and accessible for all Americans without adding crushing costs to working families.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

No.

Americans pay more for prescription drugs than nearly anyone else, yet we have nothing to show for it. Rather than focusing on importing drugs from other countries, we need to get our pharmaceutical companies to charge Americans less for vital medicines. If these efforts are unsuccessful, moving toward a safe drug reimportation program would remain an option.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

As governor of Montana, I negotiated health care costs between our hospitals and the state employee insurance plan resulting in significant cost savings. It is long past time that the federal government did the same to lower pharmaceutical costs. With the purchasing power of the federal government and its many health care systems — Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Service, Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employee Health Benefits Program — we have significant leverage in these negotiations.

———

Pete Buttigieg

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

I support universal health care and believe that a Medicare-type buy in provides the best glide path to a Medicare for All environment. Even then, private insurance can play a role, but only on a supplemental basis. Medicare for All is our goal because it represents a fairer, more efficient health care system that will spend less money on profits and bureaucracy and more on patient care.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

The path to Medicare for All that I believe makes Americans better off along the way is one that starts with a Medicare-like plan as a public option for people who want it. It will challenge private options to become more affordable and efficient; I am skeptical that they will be able to do so, and expect that this will lead to a Medicare for All environment in the future as more Americans opt in to the Medicare-like plan.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

I am in favor of strengthening the Affordable Care Act while we work to implement full reform.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

New health spending should be financed by a combination of premiums and tax-based funding to ensure it is affordable.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Federal spending that makes health insurance affordable could be offset by taxes on the wealthy and on corporate profits.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

Undocumented immigrants should be able to buy coverage through the public option.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

America needs a comprehensive, universal insurance program for long-term care. This can either be done within a universal Medicare plan, or in parallel to it, but the United States must establish such a program so that families can count on long-term care.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

Such importation must be done in a way that ensures safety and quality.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

———

Julián Castro

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

I support Medicare for all with a role for private insurance for individuals that choose it.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

I support universal health care with Medicare as the foundation. Americans should have options to choose either a complementary or supplementary private insurance.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

[This multiple choice response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

The best way to improve the health care system is to provide Medicare for all, with an option to choose either a complimentary or supplementary private insurance.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

An expanded Medicare program should be financed mostly through a restructured tax code. Premiums and copayments may still exist, but my proposal will prioritize keeping these payments low.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

I would support repealing the Trump tax plan and replace it with one that asks corporations and the wealthiest elite to contribute their fair share.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

Undocumented immigrants pay taxes and are contributing members of our communities. I believe they should be eligible for government health care support and put on a pathway to citizenship. I look forward to putting forward a health care plan that addresses the health care gap for undocumented families.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

———

John Delaney

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

I support the Universal Healthcare plan that I have crafted, which provides health care to every American as a right. It will allow Americans to have the option of having private insurance.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

The first thing that the next president should do is fix the ACA. The ACA was a good law and has been under attack from Republicans since the day it was signed. Our primary obligation should be to first stabilize our health care system before we begin overhauling it.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

ACA fixes.

Your question does not fully capture my views — I would first fix the ACA and then work to create universal health care. The ACA has been under attack from Republicans since the day it was signed. The best way to improve the ACA is to stabilize premiums and bring down costs.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

No.

Every American should have health care as a right via a federal program but have the option of purchasing health insurance.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

A combination of revenues is the best path forward. Americans who are struggling financially should not have to pay copayments that will restrict their ability to receive proper care whereas Americans with more resources would contribute. I also believe a government-only (single-payer) system would result in lower quality and more limited access.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

My universal health care plan is fully paid for by eliminating the deductibility of employer-provided health care.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

No.

I support comprehensive immigration reform which provides a pathway to citizenship.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

We should also tax big pharma when they charge other countries less than they charge Americans, thereby inflating the price of prescriptions drugs for Americans.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

———

Kirsten Gillibrand

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Sen. Gillibrand is a co-sponsor of the Senate Medicare for All bill and wrote the transition piece in the legislation. She supports the goals of that legislation and believes a single-payer system is the best way to achieve universal health care coverage, and to guarantee high quality and low-cost health care to all Americans.

Sen. Gillibrand believes that a Medicare for All system will eventually displace the private insurance industry from providing health care. She believes that private insurers are welcome to compete with Medicare, but because Medicare is a nonprofit program, without shareholders or high CEO pay, their prices will consistently be lower than private insurers, who will no longer have a role in health care.

Private insurers could still have a role in providing consumers additional elective medical services that they want to pay for individually, such as cosmetic plastic surgery.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

Sen. Gillibrand’s overarching goal is to get Americans to universal coverage, and supports several pieces of legislation to that end. While she believes that Medicare for All is the ideal and best way to accomplish universal coverage, she also co-sponsors both Sen. [Debbie] Stabenow’s Medicare at 50 Act, and Sen. [Brian] Schatz’s State Public Option Act.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Sen. Gillibrand would of course support modifications to improve the cost and access to health care provided through the Affordable Care Act. But her main focus is achieving universal coverage and she believes the best way to do that is through a single-payer system like Medicare for All, with a critical public option as a transition.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

“Medicare for all.”

Sen. Gillibrand believes that a single-payer system like Medicare for All will get America to universal coverage quickest, while also providing the most affordable and highest quality health care. She believes that a nonprofit health care system that focuses solely on its patients’ health and well-being, and that does not have to worry about shareholder value or CEO pay, will deliver the best care to the American people.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

Sen. Gillibrand believes that extending health care coverage to all Americans is the most efficient way to ensure low prices. Moving to a single-payer system, where everyone is covered, will provide all Americans with health insurance they can afford.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

Under Sen. Gillibrand’s ideal system, health care would be financed through a combination of employer-matched copayments and taxes.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Sen. Gillibrand supports a financial transaction tax, repealing the corporate tax cuts, eliminating subsidies for excessive CEO pay and for companies that ship jobs overseas, and restoring the estate tax.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

As is outlined in the Senate Medicare for All bill, Sen. Gillibrand supports extending health care coverage to all U.S. residents as defined by HHS. Residents will receive coverage provided that they are paying into the health care system, and are on a pathway to citizenship.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

Sen. Gillibrand supports the importation of generic drugs and is a co-sponsor of the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

Sen. Gillibrand supports giving the federal government the ability to negotiate drug prices for Medicare. Medicare for All would empower the government to negotiate all prescription drug prices. She also co-sponsors the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act, which would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices in Medicare, and the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act, which would allow Medicare to negotiate for prescription drugs.

———

Kamala Harris

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

Yes.

Medicare for All will guarantee access to health care, with no premiums or copays, for every single American. Private supplemental insurance for procedures not covered under the Medicare for All plan would still be allowed, but it is time to stop letting big insurance companies put profit over people’s health care.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

Medicare for All is my preferred plan. I am also supportive of other measures to expand insurance to more Americans, which is why I am a co-sponsor of the State Public Option Act, the Choose Medicare Act, and the Medicare-X Choice Act.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

Protecting the ACA from repeal is one of the proudest moments I’ve had in the Senate, and I am for strengthening it and building on its success. That’s why I support Medicare for All, so that we can ensure every American has access to health care.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

“Medicare for all.”

Medicare for All will extend health insurance to every single American, with no copays or premiums. It will cover most procedures, as well as dental, vision and hearing aids, and will allow you to choose your doctor, without worrying about who’s in-network or not. We have to change a system that allows big insurance companies to put profit over people’s health.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

Republicans’ decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate has destabilized our health care system, made costs go up for families, and increased the number of uninsured Americans.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

I support the system set up under the Medicare for All bill I sponsor, where every American can have access to health care with no copays or premiums.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

The U.S. spends more on health care than any country. In the next decade, we’ll spend $50 trillion on our current health care system. We simply can’t afford to do nothing. Budget estimates of Medicare for All show the system would save the system money.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

I support the process outlined in the Medicare for All bill, which ensures universal coverage.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

Too often, elderly Americans and people with disabilities are forced to leave their homes, live in poverty, or go without critical long-term care. It’s unacceptable. That’s why I’m proud to support Medicare for All, which would provide much-needed support for millions of Americans.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

I co-sponsor legislation to allow importation of prescription drugs from countries with safety standards as strong as the U.S., such as Canada. It will help lower costs for Americans who need access to medicine.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

I co-sponsor legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which would significantly reduce costs for our seniors.

———

Jay Inslee

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

I believe that health care is a right for all Americans. As president, I am committed to achieving the goal of universal coverage. This week, I signed into law the nation’s first public health care option to create another pathway for delivering affordable coverage. I believe the public option should be a key first step toward delivering universal health care in our country. We must also lower the age of enrollment for Medicare, allow Americans to buy into or automatically enroll in Medicare, allow Medicare to import and negotiate the price of drugs, and end the Trump administration’s outrageous effort to strip millions of Americans of their health care. I am proud of my record as governor in expanding health care to 800,000 Washingtonians, passing the first public option in the country and passing the first long-term care insurance program in the country. As president I will build on this record of success to achieve universal health coverage for all Americans.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

Yes, and I believe the unprecedented accomplishments we have made in Washington state show that we are able to get this done. I believe that we must lower the age of enrollment for Medicare, including allowing all Americans to buy into Medicare or automatically enrolling in Medicare at birth. The Cascade Care public option plan that I have signed into law makes public health plans available to all Washingtonians, regardless of income, by 2021. It also requires establishing cost-sharing agreements that will reduce, by up to 10%, the cost of plans on the health care insurance exchange, which currently serves 266,000 Washingtonians.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

I am the only candidate in this race who has both voted for and implemented Obamacare, which now provides health insurance to over 800,000 Washingtonians. Because of Obamacare, we slashed our uninsured rate from 14% to 5.5%. I support efforts to shore up the Affordable Care Act, and when I am president, I will end the Trump administration’s persistent undermining of Obamacare that threatens the health care of millions of Americans. But we must also do more to build upon the progress we’ve made thanks to Obamacare with policies such as lowering the Medicare enrollment age, allowing Americans to buy into or automatically enroll in Medicare, and allowing Medicare to import and negotiate the price of drugs.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

Health insurance should be financed through a combination of public subsidization for those who need assistance to obtain health insurance and premiums that are affordable. Our fundamental goal must be providing health insurance and health care to everyone in America.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

[This response was left blank.]

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Our goal must be to ensure that everyone in America has health insurance and enjoys a right to health care. To help accomplish this, we must also quickly create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and I will do so as president.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

I signed into law the nation’s first publicly funded long-term care benefit, and I believe this is a model for national policy. Washington state’s Long-Term Care Trust Act leads the nation by providing support to care for an aging loved one, or for people of any age to receive long-term care for unexpected injuries or illnesses. It will provide dignity and peace of mind for people everywhere in our state, and it’s the right thing to do.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes, and I voted to do so repeatedly in Congress.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes, and I voted to do so in Congress.

———

Amy Klobuchar

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

The Senator wants to see universal health care and there are many ways to get there. She believes the smartest transition right now would be to do a public option — which could be done by expanding Medicaid or Medicare — and that this will get us there more quickly.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

The Senator supports a public option and she favors modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more Americans.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

Combination.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

[This response was left blank.]

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

[This response was left blank.]

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

The Senator believes that all seniors should have access to high-quality long-term care.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

The Senator leads the bipartisan bill that allows for the importation of safe, less-expensive drugs from countries like Canada.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

The Senator leads the bill on lifting the ban on Medicare negotiating prices directly with drug companies on behalf of the 43 million seniors in the Part D program.

———

Seth Moulton

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

Every American deserves excellent, affordable care. But as the only candidate in the race who receives single-payer health care today (through the VA), I’ve experienced such a system firsthand — and there are serious problems with it.

There are 150 million Americans who currently receive private health care, and they should be able to choose public health care if they want it — but they shouldn’t be forced onto a plan if they don’t. That’s why the right answer is a public option, exactly what President Obama had in the original plans for the Affordable Care Act, not Medicare-for-All.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

A public option would force public and private insurers to compete against each other for our business, which would give Americans the benefits they deserve: better coverage, cheaper prescriptions, lower costs, and health care that isn’t tied to a job.

Imagine having Congress and the next president force UPS and FedEx out of business, making everyone use the U.S. Postal Service whether they wanted to or not. Does anyone honestly believe that lack of competition would improve the USPS? Just as we have choices for delivering packages, we should have choices for delivering health care. It’s a better, healthier, more efficient, and fundamentally more American system.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

Yes.

I would be happy to sign premium assistance into law. It would extend benefits to the middle class, making health care more affordable for millions of Americans.

But we also need to go further; premium assistance is a great step forward, but it won’t drive costs down far enough, or for enough Americans. We need a public option to truly fix our system.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

I had private insurance growing up but now get my health care from the VA — one of the closest things we have to Medicare-for-All today — so I’ve seen the ups and downs of both systems firsthand. Neither one is good enough on its own.

The right answer is an aggressive public option, where all Americans can buy into a Medicare-like program if they want and keep their current insurance if they don’t. Competition between the private sector and a public option will drive improvements to both.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

For health care to be affordable, both healthy and sick folks need to be covered on our plans. Everyone does. That’s because if only sick or injured people received health care, the cost of health care would spiral out of control. And any of us can get sick or injured at any moment, so everyone needs coverage to drive down costs and keep everyone healthy. Having everyone enrolled in health care is also critical for preventative care, which saves lives and keeps down costs.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

A combination of taxes, copayments and premiums.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Our system is currently funded through a combination of taxes, copayments, and premiums, all of which totaled 18% of GDP in 2017. That’s twice as much as nearly every other wealthy country in the world. A well-designed system, including an aggressive public option, will address that problem and reduce the overall taxes needed to fund the system. For plans to compete, they will need to bring down the astronomically high bureaucratic costs in our current health care system.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

They would be allowed to buy into my public option. Under current law, hospitals in the U.S. cannot refuse to treat patients who need care. Therefore, our system already pays for health care for undocumented immigrants — usually through emergency rooms, which are the most expensive form of care.

By allowing everyone to buy into a public option, more folks will be covered, the risk pool will be younger and healthier, and fewer hospital bills will go unpaid. Everyone deserves good health care, and it makes the system stronger and more efficient overall.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

No.

We should fund long-term care through government programs, as most other nations do. We should also invest more in home care and senior-adapted home technology to increase the quality and quantity of housing for seniors.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

No.

Importing cheaper prescriptions from other countries is not the solution to our high drug costs. Prescriptions are cheaper in other nations because they negotiate drug prices. We should import their system, not their drugs. Importing their drugs has the potential to undermine safety, and more than that, it would risk exporting our drug prices to other nations — thus spreading the problem instead of solving it.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

Negotiating drug prices will make prescriptions more affordable for all Americans.

I made a commitment to continue receiving my health care through the VA even as a Member of Congress. Because the VA negotiates drug prices, any prescription I get is 40% less expensive than the same medications on private insurance. We should be doing that in all of our health systems to keep costs down for all Americans.

———

Beto O’Rourke

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Beto supports universal, guaranteed, high-quality health care. He believes the surest, quickest way to get there is a proposal like the Medicare for America bill, which says that everyone who does not have insurance today is enrolled in Medicare and that everyone who has insurance they cannot afford, premiums they cannot pay, a deductible they cannot bridge, is free to choose Medicare while letting Americans have the choice of keeping the employer-sponsored and private insurance plans that work for their family’s needs.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

The Affordable Care Act allowed millions of people to get insurance, see a doctor, afford their medications, receive lifesaving procedures that allow them to live up to their full potential. Beto believes that we need to build on that success by getting to a place where there is guaranteed, universal, high-quality health care. He believes the surest and quickest way of getting there is through a plan like Medicare for America.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

Beto supports universal, guaranteed, high-quality health care. He believes the surest, quickest way to get there is a proposal like the Medicare for America bill.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Beto supports a system like the one proposed under Medicare for America which would automatically enroll every uninsured individual and provide universal coverage. Those insured through their employer could choose to stay on that plan or enroll in the Medicare for America system.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

Under the current system, the costs of health care are increasingly being shifted onto consumers. Beto is committed to reducing out of pocket costs. Beto supports a plan like Medicare for America which eliminates out of pocket costs for lower-income families, eliminates deductibles for all families, and limits out of pocket costs for middle income and upper income families to levels far below costs under the ACA or the current Medicare program. Such a plan would also set premiums based on a sliding scale as a percentage of income — with free care or subsidies for low- and middle-income Americans. Overall, we will reduce what America will pay on health care costs.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

At a time when corporations and the wealthiest among us received a $2 trillion tax cut, we know we have the means to achieve universal, guaranteed, high-quality health care. By using existing allocations more wisely, controlling costs, and letting working families take the money they pay to private insurers and instead let them pay into a public option at a lower cost, we can ensure that every person can see a doctor, afford a prescription, and be well enough to live up to their full potential.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

This issue is one of many reasons Beto believes that comprehensive immigration reform must be a top priority. Because our laws rightly require hospitals to provide care to everyone, the cost of care for uninsured individuals is currently shifted onto other consumers. Therefore, it is in everyone’s interest to provide a pathway for obtaining insurance.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

Beto supports a plan like Medicare for America, which covers long-term care, including nursing homes as well as home and community-based services. By providing an option to every business and individual to buy into this system at an affordable cost, we ensure people can get the coverage they need.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

Beto has supported legislation that facilitates the import of safe, low-cost medicine from Canada and Europe where the same medications are available for cheaper.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

———

Tim Ryan

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

Yes.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

Yes.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

“Medicare for all.”

We need to think big when it comes to making health care more accessible and affordable, which is why I am a long time supporter of Medicare for All. But as we move towards that ultimate goal, we need to be realistic on how we get there. That is why I also support making modifications to the Affordable Care Act and adding public option that would allow Americans to buy into Medicare without eliminating private health insurance options until we as a country can implement Medicare for All in a way that will move our country forward.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

A combination of taxes, copayments and premiums.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

A surcharge on very wealthy people. But we also need to reform these broken systems so we are not throwing money at things that aren’t working. We need more revenue, but we also need to maximize what we have through deep reforms to how our government works.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

No.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

———-

Bernie Sanders

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

Yes.

Bernie is running for president because the time is long overdue for the United States to join every other major country on Earth and guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege, through a Medicare-for-all program. Health care is not a commodity. It is a human right. The goal of a sane health care system should be to keep people well, not to make stockholders rich. That is why we need Medicare for All. Bernie’s Medicare for All program would provide comprehensive health coverage to all with no premiums, deductibles, copayments, or surprise bills.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

No.

The question we face is whether we will guarantee health care as a human right. The only way to do that is to pass Bernie’s Medicare for All plan. The current system is completely dysfunctional, and in the current profit-driven health care system, we are at the mercy of the private insurance and pharmaceutical companies, whose greed dictates the cost of health care. The U.S. federal government has failed to rein in health care costs, which many of our peer nations have successfully done.

A public option or other buy-in plans fail to address the underlying problem in the U.S. health care system: corporate greed and profiteering off of the sick. The other proposals do not address skyrocketing prescription drug prices. They fail to simplify the current confusing and dysfunctional administrative system that makes up 17% of health care expenditures. Under Bernie’s Medicare for All plan, we slash administrative costs by relying on one payment and billing entity — the federal government — instead of hundreds.

Buy-in and other option plans still leave millions of Americans at the whim of their employers. 30% of employers change plans every year. On top of that, 66 million people separated from their job sometime last year, and by age 50, the average worker has held 12 different jobs. Medicare for All provides stability. After a four-year transition period, every man, woman, and child in the United States will have health care coverage from birth, with no changes or confusing “open enrollment,” no networks, and no surprise bills.

Medicare for All completely eliminates premiums, deductibles and copayments for services. Under Medicare for All, health care is free at the point of service for all people in the U.S. regardless of income.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

Making only minor tweaks to the status quo is not enough. More than 30 million people do not have insurance. 41 million people are underinsured, meaning they have insurance but cannot afford to use it because the deductibles and other cost-sharing is too high. Keep in mind that 40% of Americans cannot afford a $400 emergency, yet deductibles routinely run into the thousands of dollars. Making small tweaks to the system may help a few of those tens of millions Americans, but small tweaks are not enough to solve the fundamental problems underlying our health care system.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

[This response was left blank, but it was not applicable, since Sanders indicated support only for “Medicare for all.”]

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

Bernie will guarantee health care as a human right, not a privilege or commodity. The United States must join the rest of the major countries in the world to guarantee health care to every person regardless of income. The only way to do that is to pass Bernie’s Medicare for All plan. Under Medicare for All, every American would be guaranteed care as a right and automatically enrolled in this new system.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

Completely by taxes.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Let’s be clear, study after study shows that Medicare for All will save workers and average families thousands of dollars every year on health care, all while making sure corporations like Amazon and the ultrawealthy pay their fair share.

Health care costs are a crushing tax for middle class families right now. If you count health care premiums as taxes, the United States is the second-highest taxed nation in the world. We can guarantee health coverage to all Americans while bringing down costs, just like every other developed country.

For decades, the American people have been told a lie: that we cannot afford to do what every other major country already does, and guarantee health care to all our people as a right, not a privilege. What the insurance industry’s lies fail to mention is that we already spend more per capita on health care than any other major country, with worse health outcomes, and that moving to a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system would actually end up saving the American people trillions of dollars.

By cutting unnecessary administrative costs, bringing down the outrageous prices of prescription medication, and ensuring large corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, we can afford to bring the United States, the richest country in the world, in line with every single other industrialized nation and guarantee quality health care coverage to all Americans.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

Medicare for All means just that: all. Bernie’s plan would provide coverage to all U.S. residents, regardless of immigration status.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

Bernie believes that as a nation, we have a moral responsibility to ensure that all Americans have the supports and services they need. Under Medicare for All, health care will be guaranteed as a right and home and community based services and supports will be fully covered.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

We pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. It does not have to be that way. Bernie introduced the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act, which would allow the importation from Canada and other major countries.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

If the pharmaceutical industry will not end its greed, which is literally killing Americans, then we will end it for them. Bernie’s Medicare for All plan will allow drug prices to be negotiated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under Medicare Part D. Bernie also introduced the Prescription Drug Price Relief Act, which will index the price of prescription drugs in the U.S. to the median price of the same drug in five other major countries.

———

Eric Swalwell

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

I support coverage for all, i.e., Medicare for all who want it. This would serve as a public option for any American, operating alongside and competing with private insurance plans, in order to drive prices down for everyone. If you’re sick you should be seen, and if you’re seen you shouldn’t go broke.

But we also should do what we do best as Americans: Find the unfindable, solve the unsolvable, and cure the incurable. We must invest in and commit to finding cures and more effective treatments in our lifetime, an initiative to publicly invest in genomics, targeted therapies, and data sharing. We’ll drive down the cost of care, increase our quality of life, and put a new generation of scientists to work while we’re at it.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

Americans should have a choice between coverage provided by private companies and that provided by the government. While I do not want to bring an end to private insurance, I support coverage for all, which would be a public option that would drive down the pressure on the private insurers and ultimately lead to more affordable plans for all Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

It’s not the only solution, but we can and must protect, restore, and improve the protections that the Affordable Care Act gives all Americans regarding coverage for preexisting conditions, coverage for maternity care, allowing people to remain on their parents’ plans through age 26, and so on.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

Public option, while restoring/protecting ACA rules for private insurers.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

Requiring all Americans to have insurance, either public or private, means our health care system no longer has to bear the cost of treating uninsured patients.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

A combination.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

[This response was left blank.]

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

It is in society’s interest to have everyone be as healthy as possible, and that’s achieved through access to affordable health care for everyone.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

We have the opportunity to expand a care economy in which we invest in retraining mid- and end-of-career workers, including those displaced by technology, to work in providing long-term care — jobs for those who need them, care for those who need it.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

I support importing drugs if they meet safety standards and the manufacturers can be held liable.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

I will do anything that is safe for patients — from negotiating prices to better enforcement of antitrust laws — to make prescription drugs more affordable, because prices are simply too high now for too many Americans. When my son, Nelson, got sick recently, we took him to the doctor and then I went to a chain-store pharmacy to have a prescription filled. The pharmacist told me I was lucky to have insurance because what cost me $5 would cost an uninsured person $250. Later, I talked with one of my district’s few remaining independent pharmacists; he said the prescription’s actual wholesale cost is about $80, so he would have charged an uninsured person about $100. This is a broken system.

There are a variety of additional steps the government could take, such as increasing access to generic drugs and improving access and opportunity for clinical trials, to help lower costs. Whatever is done should reduce prices, maintain incentives for innovation, and ensure drugs continue to be safe and effective.

And our public investment in finding cures, and making those available and affordable, would bring costs down too.

———

Elizabeth Warren

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

Yes.

I support Medicare-for-All so that everyone is covered, no one goes broke because of a medical bill, and we start treating health care like the basic human right that it is.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Every proposal on the table right now would layer coverage expansions that add up over time, but there’s no excuse for stopping at half-measures. The aim has to be very clear: Make sure every single person in this country has guaranteed health care coverage.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

I have a bill to crack down on shady behavior by insurance companies and improve the quality and affordability of health insurance purchased on the ACA exchanges or provided through employer coverage. We have to protect the ACA, but we can’t stop there.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

“Medicare for all.”

Our aim should be to cover the most people at the lowest cost, and for me that means Medicare for All. Health care is a basic human right and no one should go broke to pay a medical bill.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

Massachusetts was a leader in health care reform, including by adopting a requirement that everyone have coverage. This requirement is one of several features that has made health care coverage in Massachusetts some of the very best in the nation.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums? Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Studies show that health care costs will decrease under Medicare for All. Families are going broke today from medical bills, and Medicare for All will ensure that copays, deductibles, emergency room visits, and prescription drugs don’t drown families with sky-high medical expenses.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

Health care is a basic human right.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

[This yes-or-no response was left blank, but the campaign left additional comments.]

Medicare for All would guarantee long-term care coverage for everyone in this country. I also believe we must fight against Republican attacks on Medicaid, which is the backbone of our long-term care system for millions of Americans.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

———

Marianne Williamson

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

No.

I want to make Medicare available to everyone as an option, but not eliminate private insurance.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

Yes.

We should keep and strengthen the ACA.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

Public option.

Medicare provides good quality care at affordable rates, and should be available to those who want it. But millions of people like their private insurance and should be able to keep it. So the best is including Medicare as an option on the health exchanges, a public choice along with the private choices.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

Through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Repeal the 2017 tax breaks for big corporations and very wealthy, retain for middle class.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

No.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

Often the same drug is less expensive in other countries. However we need strict monitoring to ensure good quality.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

Medicare could negotiate lower drug prices for consumers.

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Andrew Yang

1. Do you support a “Medicare for all” system — similar to the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders — that would eliminate private health insurance, including employer-provided coverage, and be paid for by taxes?

Yes.

We pay more than any other major industrialized country for our health care to worse results. When Americans get sick, they’re focused more on how to pay for their care than how to get well. Our current system is dysfunctional and we need to move towards a Medicare for All system that provides coverage for all Americans from birth. I wouldn’t eliminate private health insurance, but I don’t imagine it being an economically viable business outside of supplemental plans since it’s competing against a no-cost alternative.

2. Do you support Americans having the choice between a “public option” health care plan run by the government, and private health insurance?

Yes.

If you support a public option, should it be available to: only Americans over 50; only Americans without employer coverage; or all Americans?

All Americans.

A public option for all would be a major step in the right direction and can serve as a good option for people during the transition from our current system to Medicare For All.

3. Would you favor only modifications to the Affordable Care Act, including extending premium assistance to more middle-class Americans?

No.

Our health care system today is fundamentally broken and we need to make bigger moves to fix it — not just incremental modifications.

4. If you support more than one of the above, which of the options do you believe would be the best way to improve the health care system?

“Medicare for all.”

While all these policies would move us in a better direction than our current system, I believe the best path forward is Medicare for All. This system will ensure coverage for all Americans while allowing us to keep costs under control.

5. Should all Americans be required to carry health insurance?

Yes.

By ensuring everyone has coverage, we can promote preventative care and keep costs under control, while also making administrative costs lower for both the federal government and individual providers. And, most importantly, we can make sure that all Americans are taken care of when they’re ill or injured.

6. Do you think health insurance should be financed completely by taxes, or through a combination of taxes, copayments and premiums?

A combination of taxes and copayments, not premiums.

Which taxes would you raise to pay for it?

Employer-sponsored health care already represents a huge percent of our spending in this area, and that money can be used to largely fund Medicare for All through a payroll tax. The Medicare for All system will be cheaper because of lowered administrative and other costs, a lack of profit motive, and a focus on preventative care.

7. Should undocumented immigrants be covered under Medicare for all, a public option or other government health programs you support?

Yes.

I believe in a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants. Anyone who applied for that pathway would be eligible to buy into the Medicare for All system.

8. Should the government require health insurance to cover long-term care, including in nursing homes?

Yes.

Long-term care, especially end-of-life care, is an important part of anyone’s lifetime health care needs, and as such should be a part of a Medicare for All plan.

9. Do you support the importation of prescription drugs from other countries?

Yes.

Many Americans are paying as much as 8-10 times the prices as Canadians for the very same prescription drugs. While we should start by trying to control prices in the domestic market through mechanisms such as international reference pricing, forced licensing, and public manufacturing of generics, if these efforts don’t work, then we should allow for the importation of prescription drugs.

10. Do you support allowing the federal Medicare program to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers?

Yes.

It’s ridiculous that this isn’t allowed already.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.