Former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Joe Biden should enact critical government reforms if he wins MORE on Monday tore into fellow Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE over his health care proposal, saying the South Bend, Ind., mayor “stole it.”

“He stole it,” Biden told reporters while on his campaign bus in Iowa, adding that he would have been criticized had he copied another rival’s plan.

“What would you have done to me? You’d have torn my ears off,” he said, according to Reuters.

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A Buttigieg campaign aide noted that the candidate had been proposing “Medicare for All who want it” since before Biden announced in April that he was running for president.

Buttigieg unveiled his proposed health care plan in September, according to his campaign website.

Biden’s comments come as both men look to gain support in Iowa less than three months before Democrats in the state hold their nominating contest.

Recent polls have shown Buttigieg surging ahead in both Iowa and New Hampshire, while Biden remains at the top of national polls of Democratic voters.

Biden has advocated for expanding the Affordable Care Act, the signature health care law born under the Obama administration in which Biden served as vice president. He’s proposed adding a “public option” that would allow individuals to select a government plan while others continue using private insurance.

Buttigieg, like Biden, has diverged from progressive Sens. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersTrump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Sanders tells Maher 'there will be a number of plans' to remove Trump if he loses Sirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters MORE (I-Vt.), who are backing "Medicare for All" proposals that would do away with private insurance.

Their proposals would not allow people to keep their private insurance. Warren this fall shifted her stance slightly, saying she would work to expand insurance immediately if she is elected president, with the goal of moving to Medicare for All by her third year in office.