Candidate Joe Biden: We Should 'Build Upon' Obamacare

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential platform announced Thursday the desire to “build upon” Obamacare, not Medicare for All, and ensure access to “quality, affordable” health care.

As Biden announced his highly anticipated presidential bid, his website revealed many aspects of his presidential platforms, which includes his preferred policy prescriptions for the country.

Although many more progressive 2020 candidates such as Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have embraced some form of Medicare for All, Biden wants to build upon the alleged success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Biden’s platform wants to ensure that “health insurance” is a right– not a privilege” and that remains why former President Barack Obama and Biden fought to enact Obamacare.

The former Delaware senator wants to build upon Obamacare even though health insurance premiums doubled since the ACA became law and that health insurance premiums only stabilized under President Donald Trump.

Biden’s presidential platform continued:

We should defend and build upon the Affordable Care Act to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care. And, we should dedicate the full force of our nation’s expertise and resources to tackle our greatest public health challenges, including cancer, opioid addiction, and mental health.

The ex-vice president’s move arises as a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll found that nearly a majority of Democrats, or 47 percent, said that implementing a national Medicare for All-style plan serves as a “top priority” for them.

Democrats’ enthusiasm for Medicare has experienced nearly a double-digit gain since 2017.

In 2017, 49 percent of Democrats had a “very positive” view of Medicare for All, compared to 58 percent in 2019 who had a highly favorable view of the program.