Bernie Sanders is defending his push for his "Medicare for all" plan by arguing that rationing already exists in American health care, so it won't be a problem if the government takes over the health care system.

The Vermont senator spoke to CBS News Congressional Correspondent Nancy Cordes a day after releasing his health care plan just hours before the Democratic debate. The proposal, which is still light on details, would create a new single-payer system in the United States that eliminates co-pays and deductibles. He argues it would help bring health care spending under control.

The plan is funded by higher payroll taxes, a health care premium and increased taxes on the wealthy. The top marginal rate in a Sanders's tax plan would be 52 percent.

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Cordes asked about the frequent criticism of government-run health care: That it will lead to rationing as the government seeks to cut costs, so people won't be able to get the treatments they want.

Sanders' answer: People already can't get the treatment they want.

"If you're not one of the 29 million who doesn't have any insurance, and you have a 5,000 dollar deductible, you know what that means: When you're sick you don't go to the doctor," Sanders said. "One out of five people in this country cannot even fill the prescription that their doctor writes for them - that's called rationing."

"The truth of the matter is that our health care outcomes are not necessarily any better than many of the other countries who are spending significantly less per capita than we are," Sanders said.