Democrats Calls For Healthcare Solution
Billionaire Democrat and California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer is now openly calling for a government-run, single-payer health care system—despite opposing the idea just a few years ago.
In a video posted to social media on Tuesday, Steyer praised Sen. Bernie Sanders, saying the progressive lawmaker had been correct in pushing for single-payer health care all along. Steyer acknowledged that in 2019, he did not believe such a system was necessary.
At the time, Steyer argued that health care costs could be controlled through technology, innovation, and private-sector competition. He said business-driven solutions could slow rising prices without placing the entire system under federal control.
That position has since changed. Steyer now argues that health care costs can only be reduced by eliminating private insurers and what he describes as unnecessary “middlemen” in the system—effectively placing the federal government at the center of health care decisions.
Steyer entered California’s crowded governor’s race last month, despite previously stating he had no intention of seeking elected office again. The Democratic field includes Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
According to recent polling from Emerson College, Steyer is struggling to gain momentum with voters. He received just 4 percent support, while Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco led the field with 13 percent. Swalwell followed close behind.
Steyer previously ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary alongside Sanders and other progressive candidates. That race ultimately ended with Joe Biden winning both the Democratic nomination and the general election.
During his presidential campaign, Steyer promoted a proposal he called “Right to Health,” which emphasized consumer choice. His plan allowed Americans to keep private insurance while offering a government-run public option as an alternative.
Following a Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, Steyer criticized the Supreme Court and pledged to expand Obamacare if elected. At the time, he promised to protect the law’s core provisions and increase access through a larger public option.
Now, as Steyer campaigns for California’s top office, his renewed support for single-payer health care is drawing attention from voters who remain concerned about rising costs, government control, and the long-term financial impact of placing the nation’s health care system fully under federal management.
