After an onslaught of criticism of the insurance industry following the assassination of the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian ThompsonCalifornia Rep. Ro Khanna expressed sympathy for the victim, but acknowledged the ongoing debate over inequities in the health care system.
“There is no justification for violence,” Khanna told ABC’s “This Week” anchor Martha Raddatz. “But the subsequent spill did not surprise me.”
Thompson’s murder sparked an ongoing manhunt for the suspected killer and sparked a wide-ranging online debate about the cost to the American health care and insurance industry.
Khanna said he agreed with the assessment of independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who wrote: “Every year we waste hundreds of billions in administrative costs for health care while making insurance CEOs and wealthy shareholders incredibly rich while leaving 85 million Americans uninsured or uninsured.” while they are. Medicare is a human right.”
MP Ro Khanna appears on “This Week” on December 8, 2024.
ABC News
Khanna said the US should move toward Medicare for all.
“After years, Sanders is winning this debate,” Khanna said.
Khana said he supports Trump’s efforts to create a “Department of Government Efficiency” to reduce unnecessary federal spending. The president-elect named Elon Musk and Vivek Ramawamy to lead the effort, and the pair were on Capitol Hill this week to discuss their plans.
Khan told Raddatzer that they “need to look at extraordinary waste,” looking at Medicare and private health care costs, as well as defense spending.
“I think in terms of defense, to get better defense for value and to reduce costs, there can be a lot of bilateral cooperation,” Khanna said.
Congress has insisted that cuts to Social Security, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Medicare should not be on the table.
Despite bipartisan calls to tackle federal spending, the United States’ debt is more than that 36 billion dollars.
Khanna said he has communicated with Musk about cost-cutting efforts and praised the SpaceX founder’s work with the Obama administration to engage the private sector in space exploration.
Khanna was also asked about his thoughts on the possibility of TikTok being banned in the US if it doesn’t find a new owner. Judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal On Friday, TikTok rejected a bid to overturn the law.
In previous interviews On “This Week,” Khanna spoke out against a bill that would have banned TikTok from its parent company in China or face a ban.
“I don’t think it will pass First Amendment scrutiny because I think there are less restrictive alternatives.” he said “This Week” Jonathan Karl’s angel in April.
On Sunday, Khanna said he still believes TikTok will not face a ban, noting how many politicians are on the platform.
“Let’s see where it goes with the Supreme Court,” he said.
