Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) isn't pulling punches on President Donald Trump's healthcare proposal, calling it both terrible policy and terrible politics for Republicans. In a Boston Globe op-ed, Sanders laid out why he thinks the plan would make America's already struggling healthcare system even worse.

The Problem With a One-Time Check

Here's the core issue Sanders has with the Republican approach: The plan would eliminate Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits—which currently help millions of Americans afford health coverage—and replace them with a one-time payment of up to $6,500. That figure comes from estimates by healthinsurance.org, and Sanders thinks it's woefully inadequate.

His argument is pretty straightforward. When over 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, a $6,500 check doesn't go very far against real medical expenses. Cancer treatment? Tens of thousands of dollars. Having a baby? Also tens of thousands. Heart attack care? Same story. Sanders called Trump's "big idea" an "absolute disaster" that won't even cover basic medical events like childbirth.

The senator warned this approach would lead to more medical bankruptcies, unaffordable care, and preventable deaths in what he pointedly described as "the richest nation on earth." Instead, he's doubling down on his longtime solution: Medicare for All, which he says has backing from several senators and House members.

The Healthcare Debate Continues

Trump's healthcare plan remains contentious, though the president claims some Democrats have shown interest in the changes. The basic concept involves redirecting federal health funds directly to individuals, letting them buy their own insurance and negotiate prices themselves.

But Sanders isn't alone in his skepticism. Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has called the new Republican proposal "really really dumb," though Cuban has also criticized Sanders' Medicare for All plan for its implementation challenges. Meanwhile, economist Peter Schiff hasn't explicitly endorsed Trump's plan either, but he did reiterate his opposition to Obamacare. In a November 14 post on X, Schiff argued that the ACA failed to contain rising healthcare costs, questioning why enhanced subsidies expiring on December 31, 2025, should be extended if the law hasn't accomplished its core goal.

The underlying question remains: How do you fix healthcare in America? The experts clearly don't agree on the answer.