In a surprising twist, it seems that Bernie and Trump might share a common view on single-payer health care. Just before Congress voted on a health care bill that could strip coverage from approximately 24 million Americans while offering nearly a trillion dollars in tax cuts to the wealthy, Trump expressed admiration for Australia’s single-payer health system. During his meeting with Australia’s Prime Minister, he remarked, “[Y]ou have better health care than we do.”
Bernie Sanders, the foremost advocate for single-payer health care in America, couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard Trump’s comments during an MSNBC interview. “Wait a minute…the President has just said it. That’s fantastic,” Sanders responded with a laugh. He then suggested looking into the Australian health care model, as well as those in Canada and Europe. Sanders emphasized, “Thank you, Mr. President. Let’s push for a Medicare-for-all system that guarantees health care for everyone at a fraction of what we currently spend per capita.”
Following Trump’s remarks, Sanders took to Twitter to hold him accountable for his statement, even continuing to poke fun at the President when he attempted to clarify his words.
It’s quite unusual for a Republican president to laud a nationalized health care system while simultaneously pursuing a bill that threatens to make insurance unaffordable for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. However, Trump has a history of supporting universal health care, often lamenting that the U.S. is the only industrialized nation without it.
In his 2000 book, The America We Deserve, Trump stated, “We must have universal health care. Just imagine the improved quality of life for our society as a whole,” advocating for a Canadian-style single-payer system. He even proposed a comprehensive health care program funded by increased corporate taxes during his presidential campaign that year.
Fast forward to 2016, and Trump praised Scotland’s single-payer system on David Letterman’s show, sharing a personal story of a friend receiving free care. During a 60 Minutes interview, he insisted, “Everybody’s got to be covered. I’m going to take care of everybody, regardless of the cost.”
What has changed since then? Both versions of Trump recognized the effectiveness of single-payer systems, which have been shown to deliver superior health care outcomes compared to the American system. Here’s a closer look at why single-payer health care is considered better:
- Cost-Effectiveness: The U.S. spends nearly double per capita on health care compared to Australia—around $9,000 versus $4,000. Prescription drug costs are also significantly higher in the U.S. compared to other countries.
- Quality of Care: The U.S. has lower life expectancies and higher disease rates than many industrialized nations. A 2014 study ranked the U.S. last among 11 industrialized countries in terms of health care quality but first in spending.
- Efficiency: Australia was ranked sixth globally in health care efficiency in 2014, while the U.S. was 44th. The private insurance system in the U.S. often leads to waste and inefficiency, unlike single-payer models.
- Accessibility: Unlike Australia, where health care is subsidized for all citizens, the U.S. still has around 28.5 million non-elderly individuals without health insurance, even after the Affordable Care Act.
Interestingly, a majority of Americans (60%, according to a recent Pew poll) agree with Trump’s sentiment that the government should ensure health care coverage for all citizens. The earlier version of Trump had insightful views on health care, and perhaps he should have a conversation with the current administration regarding the newly passed health care bill.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in supporting single-payer health care, consider getting involved with organizations like the Universal Health Care Action Network, Families USA, and Healthcare NOW!
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Summary
This article explores the unexpected alignment between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump regarding single-payer health care, highlighting Trump’s previous support for universal health care. It discusses the benefits of single-payer systems, including cost-effectiveness, quality of care, efficiency, and accessibility, while urging readers to advocate for such a system.