Only 2 Democrats raised their hands when asked if they would abolish private health insurance

By Christopher Zara

Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and while the 10 presidential candidates participating in tonight’s Democratic debates had lots of words about America’s healthcare crisis, their reaction to a question about whether or not they’d abandon the status quo was telling.

During the segment, moderator Lester Holt asked flat-out which candidates would be willing to abolish private health insurance and use a Medicare-for-All plan instead. Only two candidates raised their hands: New York mayor Bill de Blasio and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

The reactions are interesting because many of the candidates have ostensibly or expressly come out in favor of Medicare-for-All, a plan that would establish a single-payer healthcare system. But some candidates have stumbled when pressed about the best way to get there, and how we would transition away from private insurance. Senator Kamala Harris, for instance, has said she would like to abolish private insurance altogether.

You can check out a screen shot of the moment below:

 

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