(CNN) Sen. Bernie Sanders, while wading in to a local fight over a Philadelphia hospital, proposed Monday a plan to create a federal fund to help local governments purchase for-profit hospitals struggling with debt and in danger of closing.

The announcement came during a speech at a rally to save Hahnemann University Hospital. Hahnemann is currently in bankruptcy proceedings and its leadership has signaled plans to close the hospital this fall. Sanders' appearance was part of a last-minute request from activists battling to save the hospital.

"I will be very soon introducing legislation in the Senate to establish a $20 billion emergency trust fund to help states and local communities purchase hospitals that are in financial distress," Sanders said. "In my view, any time a hospital is put up for sale in America, the local community or the state must have the right to buy it first with emergency financial assistance."

The rally in Philadelphia is just one part of a week long effort by the Vermont independent to highlight his commitment to

his "Medicare for All" plan. On Wednesday, Sanders will deliver what his campaign is describing as a "major" speech on the topic. As many of his fellow Democratic opponents begin to unveil their health care plans, Sanders is hoping to emphasize not only his support for full, single payer nationalized health care system, but also to show that he was the first national candidate to offer up support for the concept.

In Monday's speech, Sanders bashed the current health care system, arguing that the only way to prevent this scenario from happening all over America is to create a single payer system with a primary goal of patient care, not profits.

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