2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley offered three ways she aims to reshape healthcare during the second GOP debate on Wednesday.
Univision’s Ilia Calderón asked her the question, “Healthcare is the leading cause of bankruptcy for American families, accounting for two-thirds of all personal bankruptcies. As president, how will you protect Americans who get sick from financial ruin?”
Haley, who is a former governor of South Carolina and United Nations ambassador, first responded by pondering aloud, “How can we be the best country in the world and have the most expensive healthcare in the world?”
After sharing a story about her mother’s experience in a hospital, Haley offered a three-point plan of attack, saying, “When I am president, we will break all of it.”
She spoke in favor of boosting transparency, tackling the issue of tort law that she argued makes doctors nervous about getting sued, and increasing competition in healthcare to give patients more choice.
Another candidate, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, was given time to respond to Haley’s answer on healthcare.
Burgram argued the “real problem” was not being addressed, and said the federal government was getting involved in healthcare in a similar way that it is with championing electric vehicles.
“Every time the federal government’s involved, whether it’s higher education, healthcare, or now the auto industry, things get more expensive and less competitive,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP
The second debate was taking place in Simi Valley, California. The other candidates who participated included Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Former President Donald Trump, who leads in the polls, opted not to attend.
Moments before Haley spoke about healthcare, Pence was pressed on his promise to repeal Obamacare mandates, to which he said it was his intention to make the federal government “smaller by returning to the states those resources and programs that are rightfully theirs under the 10th Amendment of the Constitution.” Pence said this would include funding for Obamacare and other programs.
DeSantis, when asked about insurance coverage, called for tackling “Big Pharma, Big Insurance, and Big Government” while giving “more power for the people and the doctor-patient relationship.”
