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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Hillary Clinton Takes a Step to the Left on Health Care | Hillary Clinton Takes a Step to the Left on Health Care |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| For months during the Democratic nominating contest, Hillary Clinton has resisted calls from Senator Bernie Sanders to back a single-payer health system, arguing that the fight for government-run health care was a wrenching legislative battle that has already been lost. | For months during the Democratic nominating contest, Hillary Clinton has resisted calls from Senator Bernie Sanders to back a single-payer health system, arguing that the fight for government-run health care was a wrenching legislative battle that has already been lost. |
| But as she tries to clinch the nomination, Mrs. Clinton is lurching to the left on health care and this week took a significant step in her opponent’s direction, suggesting that she would like to give people the option to buy into Medicare. | But as she tries to clinch the nomination, Mrs. Clinton is lurching to the left on health care and this week took a significant step in her opponent’s direction, suggesting that she would like to give people the option to buy into Medicare. |
| “I’m also in favor of what’s called the public option, so that people can buy into Medicare at a certain age,” Mrs. Clinton said at a campaign event in Virginia on Monday. | “I’m also in favor of what’s called the public option, so that people can buy into Medicare at a certain age,” Mrs. Clinton said at a campaign event in Virginia on Monday. |
| Mr. Sanders calls his single-payer health care plan “Medicare for all.” What Mrs. Clinton proposed was a sort of Medicare for more. | Mr. Sanders calls his single-payer health care plan “Medicare for all.” What Mrs. Clinton proposed was a sort of Medicare for more. |
| The Medicare program currently covers Americans once they reach 65. Beneficiaries pay premiums to help cover the cost of their coverage, but the government foots the bulk of the bill. Mrs. Clinton’s suggestion was that perhaps younger Americans, “people 55 or 50 and up,” could voluntarily pay the full cost to join the program. | The Medicare program currently covers Americans once they reach 65. Beneficiaries pay premiums to help cover the cost of their coverage, but the government foots the bulk of the bill. Mrs. Clinton’s suggestion was that perhaps younger Americans, “people 55 or 50 and up,” could voluntarily pay the full cost to join the program. |
| She made the remarks as she continues to face a determined challenge on the left from Mr. Sanders, forcing her to essentially fight a two-front war as she seeks to turn her attention to Donald J. Trump and the general election. | She made the remarks as she continues to face a determined challenge on the left from Mr. Sanders, forcing her to essentially fight a two-front war as she seeks to turn her attention to Donald J. Trump and the general election. |
| Mrs. Clinton has been proposing a range of health policy overhauls to preserve and expand the Affordable Care Act. She has urged expanding financial protections for people with high health care costs and broadening subsidies to help middle-income people buy their own insurance. She also has proposed a package of policies to lower the price of prescription drugs. | |
| But more recently, she has moved further. In February, she began discussing the possibility of a “public option,” a government-run insurance plan available to people shopping on the existing marketplaces. That idea was considered when the Affordable Care Act was being debated in Congress, but it was ultimately removed from the law. | But more recently, she has moved further. In February, she began discussing the possibility of a “public option,” a government-run insurance plan available to people shopping on the existing marketplaces. That idea was considered when the Affordable Care Act was being debated in Congress, but it was ultimately removed from the law. |
| Mrs. Clinton’s new Medicare plan, first reported by Bloomberg News, takes another step by proposing that Americans still in their prime working years be given the opportunity to obtain the exact same government insurance that is provided on a universal basis to their older peers. | Mrs. Clinton’s new Medicare plan, first reported by Bloomberg News, takes another step by proposing that Americans still in their prime working years be given the opportunity to obtain the exact same government insurance that is provided on a universal basis to their older peers. |
| Before the Affordable Care Act, people over 55 tended to have difficulty buying their own insurance, because insurance companies saw them as bigger risks. Since the health law passed, insurance plans cannot discriminate against people based on health history, but they can charge premiums that are three times as much as younger adults are charged. | Before the Affordable Care Act, people over 55 tended to have difficulty buying their own insurance, because insurance companies saw them as bigger risks. Since the health law passed, insurance plans cannot discriminate against people based on health history, but they can charge premiums that are three times as much as younger adults are charged. |
| Moving more older adults into the Medicare program could have the effect of lowering insurance costs for younger people, as Mrs. Clinton suggested. But the exact dynamics would depend on the details of how the program was structured. | Moving more older adults into the Medicare program could have the effect of lowering insurance costs for younger people, as Mrs. Clinton suggested. But the exact dynamics would depend on the details of how the program was structured. |
| The idea of a Medicare buy-in has been discussed in policy circles and in Congress for decades. Mrs. Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, floated a similar proposal in his 1998 State of the Union address. The strategy has been embraced by many advocates of single-payer health care as an incremental but significant way to move more Americans into the existing government system. | The idea of a Medicare buy-in has been discussed in policy circles and in Congress for decades. Mrs. Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, floated a similar proposal in his 1998 State of the Union address. The strategy has been embraced by many advocates of single-payer health care as an incremental but significant way to move more Americans into the existing government system. |
| Taking a more progressive stance on health care could also serve Mrs. Clinton in a general election matchup against Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. He has offered a range of views on the subject. While he says that he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, he also has called for a system that would ensure that all Americans have health coverage. | Taking a more progressive stance on health care could also serve Mrs. Clinton in a general election matchup against Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. He has offered a range of views on the subject. While he says that he wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, he also has called for a system that would ensure that all Americans have health coverage. |
| Mr. Sanders, who is trailing Mrs. Clinton in the race for Democratic delegates, is pressing on in his campaign and hopes to influence the party’s platform at the July convention even if, as expected, he does not become the nominee. He has already pulled Mrs. Clinton to take more progressive stances on several issues, including supporting a higher minimum wage and opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and the Keystone XL pipeline. | Mr. Sanders, who is trailing Mrs. Clinton in the race for Democratic delegates, is pressing on in his campaign and hopes to influence the party’s platform at the July convention even if, as expected, he does not become the nominee. He has already pulled Mrs. Clinton to take more progressive stances on several issues, including supporting a higher minimum wage and opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and the Keystone XL pipeline. |
| Although Mr. Sanders viewed Mrs. Clinton’s latest health care proposal as progress, he said on Tuesday that it was not sufficient. | Although Mr. Sanders viewed Mrs. Clinton’s latest health care proposal as progress, he said on Tuesday that it was not sufficient. |
| ”Secretary Clinton’s proposal to let the American people buy into Medicare is a step in the right direction, but just like her support for a $12 minimum wage, it is not good enough,” Mr. Sanders said in a statement that described her idea as “Medicare for some.” | ”Secretary Clinton’s proposal to let the American people buy into Medicare is a step in the right direction, but just like her support for a $12 minimum wage, it is not good enough,” Mr. Sanders said in a statement that described her idea as “Medicare for some.” |