Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Clinton Raises Concerns About Sanders' Health Care Plan, Takes Heat On Her Drug Cost Proposal
Fresh from the second Democratic presidential debate, Hillary Rodham Clinton suggested Sunday that Bernie Sanders would raise middle-class taxes and 鈥渟crap鈥 President Barack Obama鈥檚 health care law, in an escalating critique of the Vermont senator. (Thomas, 11/15)
During the debate. Clinton attacked two key policy Sanders policy proposals 鈥 one to make public colleges tuition-free, and another to give all Americans government-run health insurance 鈥 as impractical or unfair, in a part of the second Democratic debate seemingly aimed at moderate voters. ... Clinton also criticized Sanders鈥檚 plan, which he calls 鈥淢edicare for All,鈥 for essentially eliminating President Obama鈥檚 health-care law. But Clinton took an unusual tactic: she said Sanders鈥 plan did not build the federal government up enough. It would leave some decisions to the state governments, which might be run by Republicans. (Fahrenthold, 11/14)
Hillary Clinton鈥檚 response to a question about her drug costs plan in Saturday鈥檚 presidential debate is likely to invite more scrutiny of a key part of that plan: her cap on out-of-pocket expenses. During the Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, Clinton was asked about her proposal to limit out-of-pocket expenses to $250 per month, part of a broader plan to put the brakes on rising prescription drug costs. The critical question: wouldn鈥檛 that simply translate into higher insurance premiums for consumers? (Robbins, 11/14)
Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders highlighted his support Sunday for a plan to provide three months of paid leave after a family has a child and challenged Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton to embrace the same legislation. (Wagner, 11/15)