Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar faced off against Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy tonight on CNN for a debate over the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill. They discussed the Republicans’ attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, while Sanders is trying to gather momentum for his Medicare for All bill. The 90-minute debate started at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Who do you think won this debate? Let us know in the poll below.
The Graham-Cassidy bill would repeal the individual and employer mandates, CNN reported, and change federal funding for subsidies and Medicaid expansion into a block grant program. A big part of the bill is that it gives the states the ability to make some tougher health care decisions, such as regulating the marketplace and covering health care for the poor. Even Republican Senators have said they are still trying to figure out exactly how the bill affects their states.
Sanders, meanwhile, says his Medicare for All bill will help the average family afford insurance, which is becoming unaffordable under the current system. About a third of the Senate Democratic caucus is supporting his bill so far. He says that increased taxes will be offset by the money saved in insurance and health costs. The bill would give Americans a universal Medicare card for comprehensive health services, and might require up to $250 out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions. Medicare eligibility would start out at 55 and drop every year, being available to everyone by the fourth year.
Even before the debate was over, supporters of both sides were already enthusiastically sharing their opinions about the debate and the topic of healthcare in general.
So who do you think won the debate tonight? Let us know in the poll at the beginning of the story, and then share it with your friends so they can vote too. Do you have anything else to say about the debate? Let us know in the comments below.