President Donald Trump wants you to know that American health care plans are pretty great. "We have the best health care plans in the world," he said during a phone interview that aired Sunday on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."
The conversation, with host Larry Kudlow, veered into Medicare for All and what it might mean for United Auto Workers (UAW) members. Kudlow set the table by saying Medicare for All "means if you have a health care plan, a private plan, you will lose it." He argued that UAW workers would lose their existing benefits, which he described as generous plans with no premiums and small copayments.
But there's a wrinkle: Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has said his version of Medicare for All would let people keep employer- or union-provided private insurance while guaranteeing a government health plan. So the "you'll lose it" attack isn't quite as clean as it sounds.
Kudlow also argued that the proposal would provide undocumented immigrants with free health care, food stamps and other benefits. He asked Trump, "Is that what Americans really want?"
Trump initially responded by discussing his planned visit to Michigan and his support among various groups, including union workers. When Kudlow returned to the healthcare issue, Trump talked about his relationship with auto workers and his efforts to bring car manufacturing back to the United States.
Trump on Private Plans
Trump said he had friends with private health plans provided by large companies and insurance companies, adding that "they love it." When Kudlow said those workers would lose their plans, Trump replied, "Not even the, it's not expensive and it's great."
Trump then pointed to Canada and the United Kingdom, saying people from those countries come to the United States when they need medical treatment.
"We have the best health care plans in the world," Trump said. "Now that doesn't cover everybody, but it covers a lot of people."
Kudlow urged Trump to remind auto workers that they could lose their health plans under Medicare for All, calling the proposal "socialized medicine." Trump said it had "never worked" and was expensive. He also claimed that people with cancer in countries with such systems could wait nine months for treatment.
Kudlow said he hoped Trump would raise the issue during his Michigan visit. Trump replied, "I will. I will."
El-Sayed, Greene on Medicare
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has outlined a three-step path to Medicare for All: improving Medicare coverage, adding vision, dental and hearing benefits, and gradually extending eligibility, starting with children. He described the goal as "great Medicare for everyone."
Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has separately criticized Republicans over health insurance costs, calling insurance an "unaffordable disaster" and saying Republicans have taken no action to fix it despite warning voters against Medicare for All.
