VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Democratic 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang On Medicare-for-All, Reforming U.S. Healthcare System

Andrew Yang may not be the most high-profile of all the 2020 Democratic presidential contenders, but he has already proposed many thoughtful changes and solutions to many issues like education, election reform and universal basic income.

The 44-year-old New York-based businessman and founder of entrepreneurship nonprofit Venture for America explained in an exclusive discussion with uInterview how he believes the American health care system should be reformed.

“I’m for Medicare-for-All, single-payer healthcare,” said Yang. “Right now, we’re in the worst of all worlds where we’re spending twice as much on healthcare than other industrialized countries to worse results.”

“And right now, if you’re an American and you get sick or injured, you’re more concerned about how to pay for it or navigate the bureaucracy than doing well.”

Yang added that the U.S. health system is completely “immoral” and “backwards,” and that there is likely a long road ahead toward improvement on this issue. He added that a single-payer medical system — similar to the one used in Canada and in many countries in Europe — would drive down costs and “improve access” to medical services for all Americans while “aligning incentives.”

SLIDESHOW: TOP DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2020

President Donald Trump and many Republicans have blasted Barack Obama‘s signature healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, GOP lawmakers have repeatedly been unsuccessful in their attempts at repealing and replacing the law, which forces people to pay a tax as a “penalty” of sorts if they don’t purchase medical care. Several judges have also ruled against Trump’s efforts to replace the ACA. Should the current administration repeal Obamacare, more than 20 million Americans could be affected, including many of Trump’s supporters.

Some progressive politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have backed the idea of Medicare-for-All and stressed the notion that health care should be guaranteed as a right and not as a privilege to all Americans.

This week, Trump declared Republicans would vote on a new healthcare plan after the 2020 elections when the GOP “keeps the Senate and wins back the House.”

Article by Pablo Mena

Writer for uPolitics.com. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.