A few days ago, Sen. Bernie Sanders was not on board with the emerging Senate bill saying, "I have real concerns." But Sanders sounded more upbeat about the prospects of supporting the bill this morning after he crowed about landing additional Medicaid funding for six years and $10 billion for community health centers.

Sanders took credit for the $10 billion, which he said would provide primary care to 25 million more people, but said it was not a sweetener to earn his vote. "That is not a sweetheart deal," he said.

Sanders told reporters:

"If you expand Medicaid and if you expand health insurance in general, that is enormously important. But at the end of the day it doesn't mean much if people cant find a doctor or they cant find a dentist. And what we have managed to accomplish is substantially increase community health centers, 10,000 communities in America as a result of this legislation will now have access to community health centers. 10,000 more communities, 20,000 more primary health care physicians and dentists. And we think that is going to help revolutionize primary health care in America and it is a really important step forward in health care reform.



With Jake Sherman

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