Kamala Harris Falsely Claims Medicare For All Will Not Eliminate Private Insurance

This morning on CNN’s State of the Union, Kamala Harris falsely said that Medicare for All would not eliminate private healthcare insurance.

According to the New York Times: “At the heart of the “Medicare for all” proposals championed by Senator Bernie Sanders and many Democrats is a revolutionary idea: Abolish private health insurance.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal admitted just a couple of weeks ago that her Medicare for All bill would force about a million individuals currently employed by private insurance companies out of a job.

Read the full Q&A:

Jake Tapper: I think the last time I saw you was the town hall. I want to ask you about something you said that night. You said on stage when it comes to private insurance, let’s eliminate that. Let’s move on. Now you said we don’t need to get rid of all private insurance.

Kamala Harris: Let’s clear that up. When we were together, and roll the tape please —

Jake Tapper: You support the bernie sanders bill.

Kamala Harris: I support medicare for all but I want to clear up what happened in that stage. It was in the context of saying let’s get rid of all the bureaucracies.

Jake Tapper: Not the insurance company.

Kamala Harris: No. That’s the way it was interpreted. What I meant is let’s get rid of the bureaucracy.

Jake Tapper: The bill gets rid of insurance.

Kamala Harris: No, it does not get rid of insurance. listen, let me just tell you where I am. let’s tell you where I am. I support medicare for all. It is my preferred —

Jake Tapper: As a principle, you mean, not the bill?

Kamala Harris: I support the bill.