Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont says odds are that middle-class individuals and families will pay more in taxes to help fund his “Medicare for All” proposal, but the additional levy would be more than offset by the overall savings those same people would receive from doing away with annual health care premiums.
“My guess is people in the middle-class will be paying somewhat more in taxes, but they are going to be paying significantly less overall in health care, but that will depend on the type of tax plan to fund Medicare for All that we come up with,” the Democratic presidential candidate said Wednesday on CNN.
For instance, Mr. Sanders said, a middle-class family would be trading paying $15,000 per year in health care premiums under the current system in exchange for paying $7,500 in more taxes under his plan.
“Let us be clear right now,” he said. “If you consider premiums, as I do, a tax, the working class of this country is very heavily taxed and we will lower that burden.”
Mr. Sanders has led the charge for Medicare for All in the Senate and several of his presidential rivals have embraced the plan, including Sen. Kamala Harris of California.
Ms. Harris, however, said Wednesday she believes a Medicare for All would not require tax hikes on the middle class.
“I’m not prepared to engage in middle tax hikes,” she said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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