Joe Biden on Monday announced his plans to shore up Obamacare and said he was surprised so many Democrats were running on a platform to get rid of it.
"I knew the Republicans would do everything in their power to try and repeal Obamacare," Biden said in an email to supporters Monday. "But I'm surprised that so many Democrats are running on getting rid of it."
"I know how hard it was to get passed," he added. "Starting over just makes no sense to me."
Biden's proposal includes creating a government-run insurance policy for people to choose over private insurance. The plan would also allow Medicare to directly negotiate prescription prices, allow drugs to be imported from abroad, and increase the value of tax credits to lower premiums so more Americans could get coverage.
Additionally, individuals making below 138% of the federal poverty line would automatically be enrolled into his plan.
The cost, is approximately $750 billion over a decade that would be paid for in part by reversing some of President Donald Trump's tax cuts, according to Biden's advisers.
"I understand the appeal to Medicare for All, but folks supporting it should be clear that it means getting rid of Obamacare – and I'm not for that," he said. "I was very proud the day I stood there with Barack Obama and he signed that legislation."