By Canadian Press

Sanders’ ‘Medicare-for-all’ expands long-term care benefits

Mar 8, 2019 | 1:02 PM

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders is raising the stakes of the “Medicare-for-all” debate by expanding his proposal to include long-term care. That could force other Democratic presidential candidates to decide whether to continue supporting the bill given the high cost of providing long-term care coverage.

“Medicare-for-all” is unlikely to advance in the Republican-controlled Senate, but it’s become a defining issue in the early days of the Democratic primary. Candidates point to their support of Sanders’ legislation as proof of their progressive politics.

Some moderate Democrats have criticized the cost. By adding the long-term care provision, Sanders could further expose that divide.

So far, 2020 candidates Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California say they’ll support the revised Sanders’ bill.

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