Obama calls Medicare for all a 'good idea'
By Jessie Hellmann - 09/07/18 02:21 PM EDT
Former President Obama on Friday called "Medicare for all" a "good idea" during a speech in Illinois where he launched his midterm campaign efforts for Democrats.
"Democrats aren't just running on good, old ideas like a higher minimum wage. They're running on good, new ideas like Medicare for all," Obama said.
Obama and establishment Democrats rejected the premise of Medicare for all and single payer health care during his eight years in the White House. But Obama supported single payer when he was a senator from Illinois.
The idea gained momentum in the party after the insurgent presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Now 16 Democrats in the Senate are co-sponsors on Sanders' Medicare for all legislation.
Sanders' bill would cover everyone in the U.S. through Medicare, the federal health insurance program for adults aged 65 and older.
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http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/405597-obama-calls-medicare-for-all-a-good-idea