Sen. Bernie Sanders said his healthcare plan Medicare for All would cost between $30 trillion and $40 trillion over a 10 year period.

"Somewhere between $30 trillion and 40 trillion," the Vermont independent said when asked by the Washington Post about how much his healthcare plan would cost.

Sanders went on to say that despite the hefty price tag, his plan "is much less expensive" than the current healthcare system.

"What the most serious economists tell us, that if we do nothing to fundamentally change the healthcare system," Sanders said. "We would be spending something like $50 trillion over a 10 year period."

Sanders answer came at a forum held by the Washington Post this week "to discuss the issues that are driving his campaign."

The 2020 presidential hopeful criticized Joe Biden on healthcare, saying he was sticking to the status quo which would be more expensive in the long run.

Sanders is running in second place and polling at 15% in the Democratic presidential primary behind Biden according to RealClearPolitics.

