Trump: Australia has better healthcare system than US
Trump just now to Australia's PM: "You have better health care than we do."
FYI: Australia has universal health care. pic.twitter.com/CuqrPHyFWn
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 5, 2017
President Trump remarked Thursday that Australia has a better healthcare system than the U.S.
Trump’s comments in a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull came shortly after the commander in chief praised the GOP healthcare bill passed in the House earlier in the day.
“It’s a very good bill right now. The premiums are going to come down very substantially. The deductibles are going to come down. It’s going to be fantastic healthcare. Right now ObamaCare is failing; we have a failing healthcare,” Trump said.
“Our great gentleman and my friend, from Australia … you have better healthcare than we do,” Trump added, turning toward Turnbull.
{mosads}
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) seized on Trump’s remarks about the Australian system, which consists of both public and private markets, with its publicly funded universal healthcare system working alongside medical services provided by the private sector.
“That’s great. Let’s take a look at the Australian healthcare system. Maybe he wants to take a look at the Canadian healthcare system or systems throughout Europe,” Sanders, an advocate of a single-payer system, told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.
“Thank you, Mr. President. Let us move to a Medicare-for-all system that does what every other major country on earth does — guarantee healthcare to all people at a fraction of the cost per capita that we spend. Thank you, Mr. President. We’ll quote you on the floor of the Senate.”
Earlier on Thursday, the GOP-controlled House narrowly passed legislation aimed at repealing and replacing ObamaCare, sending their bill to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain future.