Pete Buttigieg says a national, single-payer healthcare program and free college plans being touted by several of the 2020 Democratic presidential contenders are questionable on their merits.
"I do think that we should be realistic about what's going to work. And just flipping a switch and saying we're instantly going to have everybody on Medicare just like that -- isn't realistic," the South Bend, Indiana, Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential contender said in an interview with CNN's David Axelrod.
"I think that when it comes to a lot of these policies that we're being pushed to do -- say that we can pay down the last penny of tuition for any student including the child of a billionaire. These are things that are questionable on their merits and of course also pretty far out ... from where Americans are."
Of the 20-plus Democratic contenders, 13 support some version of Medicare-for-all, including Buttigieg. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont say the U.S. should eliminate private insurance along with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Buttigieg has said he believes the country should move in the direction of Medicare for all, but that private health insurance companies should not be eliminated.
On the college front, Buttigieg, 37, believes the cost to attend should be lowered, but that it shouldn’t be free.
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