Schumer’s refusal comes after a federal judge deemed the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional.
As Medicare for All advocates gear up for what promises to be a long and brutal fight against the powerful industry interests and corporate Democrats committed to upholding the for-profit status quo, critics accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) of siding with the latter camp after he insisted in an interview on Sunday that “there are lots of different routes” to a universal healthcare system and refused to endorse single-payer.
Pressed by MSNBC’s Chuck Todd on whether he thinks it’s time for Democrats to unify around Medicare for All — which has the backing of 84 percent of Democratic voters — Schumer dodged, saying, “Look, Democrats are for universal access to healthcare, from one end of the party to the other.”
“We want more people covered, everyone covered; we want better healthcare at a lower cost. People have different views as to how to get there. Many are for Medicare for All, some are for Medicare buy-in, some are Medicare over 55, some are Medicaid buy-in, some are public option,” Schumer added. “I’m going to support a plan that can pass, and that can provide the best, cheapest healthcare for all Americans.”
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Single-payer advocates were quick to note in response to Schumer’s interview that the “best, cheapest” way to provide healthcare for every American — as demonstrated by study after study — is Sen.
