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The senator expressed support for allowing the public to buy into Medicare or Medicaid, which she said could bring insurance rates down. Universal health care could be an option in the future, Klobuchar said, but now is not the time for that approach. “We have to start somewhere and I think we can do that much more immediately,” Klobuchar said. She added that officials must also address the rising costs of prescription drugs. (Faircloth, 2/18)

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown defended his push to allow Americans over 50 years old to buy into Medicare, rather than seeking universal government coverage as some progressive Democrats advocate, and said the odds of him running for president are about 50-50. ...Brown joined Democratic colleagues Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin in introducing a bill Feb. 13 that would allow Americans over 50 years old to buy into Medicare, the federal health insurance program that currently provides coverage for those 65 and older. (Waller, 2/17)

Kaiser Health News: For 2020 Dem Hopefuls, ‘Medicare-For-All’ Is A Defining Issue, However They Define It

Democrats with 2020 presidential aspirations are courting the party’s increasingly influential progressive wing and staking out ambitious policy platforms. Front and center are three words: Medicare. For. All. That simple phrase is loaded with political baggage, and often accompanied by vague promises and complex jargon. Different candidates use it to target different voter blocs, leading to sometimes divergent, even contradictory ideas. (Luthra, 2/19)