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Politics Weekly UK

Why Medicare for All is a political headache: Politics Weekly Extra

Politics Weekly UK

The Guardian

News, Politics

4.01.4K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2021

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Guardian health reporter Jessica Glenza steps in for Jonathan Freedland this week. She speaks to Dr Abdul El-Sayed, co-author of a new book, Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide, about why the concept of providing healthcare coverage for all Americans is so politically vexing. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:06.7

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0:17.4

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0:19.3

Discover more perfect whiskey pairings at TheGuardian.com forward slash double the flavour.

0:24.2

Please drink responsibly, for the facts visit drinkaware.co.uk.

0:28.6

This message was paid for by tamnavool and single malt whiskey.

0:37.4

Welcome to Politics Weekly Extra.

0:45.8

I'm Jessica Glenza stepping in for Jonathan Friedland.

0:49.4

No three words are likely to elicit a more divisive response in Washington than Medicare for

0:54.5

all.

0:55.5

Most every major Democrat in Washington is back to massive government health care takeover

1:00.8

that would totally obliterate Medicare.

1:04.1

And yet a health care system that would cover all Americans, no matter their wealth,

1:08.9

would solve one of the most intractable problems of American life.

1:12.7

So what's stopping them?

1:14.7

From the outside looking in, some listeners might wonder why any politician, Republican

1:19.6

or Democrat, would hesitate to provide universal health coverage.

1:24.4

The answer goes to the core of American ideas about the role of government and the free

1:29.3

market.

1:30.3

So I'm glad to say this week I spoke with a real expert in the area, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed.

...

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