00:00Also, health care affordability has re-emerged as a central background in U.S. politics.
00:05As expiring subsidies and rising premiums push basic medical care out of reach for millions of working families,
00:12support for a universal single-payer system has surged to a record high of 66%.
00:19For an analysis of the debate, our correspondent Dan Albright has more details.
00:26Thanks. Yeah, the U.S. health care system relies heavily on a neoliberal model.
00:31Access to care is largely tied to one's employer, private insurance, and the ability to pay.
00:36In 2010, the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, expanded coverage significantly.
00:41But at that time, when Democrats controlled the presidency and Congress,
00:46they essentially mandated private insurers as middlemen between patients and doctors.
00:51A public option passed the House, but was dropped from the final law.
00:56Now even those gains are being weakened.
00:59Republicans allowed enhanced Obamacare subsidies to expire,
01:03while Trump signed new restrictions on eligibility and enrollment.
01:07For people buying insurance through Obamacare, average premium payments are up 58% this year,
01:14while average deductibles have risen more than $1,000 to nearly $3,800.
01:20So having insurance still doesn't guarantee affordable health care.
01:24That helps explain why Medicare for all has been a prominent platform item on Democratic campaigns this election season.
01:33A September KFF poll found 66% of U.S. adults now support a single-payer government health plan,
01:40the highest level KFF has ever recorded.
01:43Dan Albright, Telesor, Boston.
01:45Back to you.
01:46Back to you.
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