Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is not holding back. On Saturday, she took to X to slam President Donald Trump and Republicans over health care, claiming their policies could leave 15 million Americans without coverage.
"Here's your daily reminder: Trump and Republicans are kicking 15 million Americans off their health care so that people like Mark Zuckerberg can buy another yacht," Warren wrote.
The jab at Zuckerberg, the Meta CEO, underscores a growing Democratic narrative that GOP health care cuts are designed to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.
Medicare Subsidy Ends, States Get Funding Back
The backdrop to Warren's criticism includes a recent decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to end the Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration after 2026. That program, which provided an estimated $3.6 billion in subsidies this year, was meant to keep prescription drug costs stable for seniors. Ending it could mean higher premiums for some in 2027.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz defended the move, arguing that the market has stabilized and no longer needs the "bailout."
In a separate development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rescinded a $10 billion freeze on child care and social services funding for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. The freeze, imposed in January, had prompted lawsuits from those states. A federal judge had already blocked the freeze while the legal battle played out.
Medicare for All Gets a Boost
The debate over health care is heating up, with several Democrats pushing for a single-payer system. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) cited a Yale analysis suggesting that a Medicare-for-All-style system could save $1.04 trillion annually, or nearly 20% of U.S. health spending. Those savings, he said, could come from lower insurance and drug costs, plus reduced administrative waste.
Khanna argued the savings could be used to increase Medicare payments, cover $52 billion in unpaid hospital care, and boost health care worker pay.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also weighed in, criticizing Republican proposals as harmful to access and affordability. He accused the GOP of "gutting healthcare programs to give handouts to billionaires."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) renewed his call for Medicare for All, calling the U.S. health system "broken" and insisting that health care is a basic human right. He pointed to a poll showing 64% support for the idea and took aim at insurers and drug companies for profiting at the expense of patients.
Even billionaire Mark Cuban joined the fray, taking a swipe at the insurance industry. "Most insurers aren't insurers," he said, accusing companies of profiting from gaps in contracts and weak oversight.
The political battle over health care is far from over, and with Warren's sharp rhetoric, it's clear Democrats are gearing up for a fight.
