Los Angeles Times

Consumer Confidential: 'Medicare for all' sounds good, but Democrats need to spell out exactly what they mean

Democratic politicians are increasingly bold about supporting a Medicare-for-all or single-payer healthcare system as a means of extending coverage to the tens of millions of Americans currently lacking insurance.

But two things are quickly becoming clear as presidential wannabes, including Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, jockey to establish themselves as the Savior of American Healthcare.

First, no one other than Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has committed to any details about how a Medicare-for-all or single-payer plan would work. And Sanders' plan is so idealistic, it's a non-starter.

This means voters will largely be left to guess how each candidate would pull off what he or she is promising.

Second, Medicare-for-all advocates desperately need to work on their messaging, because they're allowing conservative opponents to frame the discussion with sky-is-falling

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