Bernie Sanders to 2020 Democrats: Reject private insurance and pharma donations

By Gregory Krieg and Ryan Nobles, CNN

Updated 9:41 AM ET, Wed July 17, 2019

CNN)Sen. Bernie Sanders will challenge Democratic primary candidates to reject donations from private health insurance and pharmaceutical interests during a Wednesday speech billed by his campaign as a rebuttal to intraparty criticism of "Medicare for All."

"You can't change a corrupt system by taking its money," the Vermont independent will say, according to prepared remarks. "Candidates who are not willing to take (the 'no health insurance and pharma money') pledge should explain to the American people why those interests believe their campaigns are a good investment."

Sanders' speech caps off a contentious week that saw former Vice President Joe Biden unveil his own health care proposal, which would add muscle to Obamacare and create a public insurance option. During the rollout, Biden has leveled attacks -- some of them misleading -- against Medicare for All and what a transition to a single-payer program would mean for people covered under the existing system. Biden's comments escalated a long-running debate in the Democratic Party, and among its presidential candidates, over how to expand government-backed coverage while most Republicans continue to seek its demolition.

Sanders is asking his primary opponents to pledge to "refuse to knowingly accept any contributions over $200 from the PACs, lobbyists, or top executives of health insurance or pharmaceutical companies." Donations from "rank-and-file" industry employees would not come under scrutiny.

Sanders gave a preview of his argument -- and a widening effort to hit back against Biden -- on Tuesday, when his campaign posted an interactive quiz on its website asking supporters if they could identify "who said it" about Medicare for All. The options -- underneath a series of six quotes -- included Biden, Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former President Barack Obama, whose praise for single-payer during a 2003 speech was featured in the final question.

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