House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated on Sunday that he does not support Medicare for All or the agenda of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He emphasized the need for Democrats to focus on affordability as they aim to regain control of the House in the upcoming elections. In an interview on "Meet the Press," Jeffries confirmed he has not co-sponsored Medicare for All legislation, stating, "I do think we need to figure out how to fix our broken health care system and then build something better once we repair the damage that has been done."
While Jeffries has previously co-sponsored the Medicare for All Act of 2019 and its 2021 version, he did not join the additional House cosponsors for the latest iteration introduced in April 2025. The NYC DSA Healthcare Working Group noted that his earlier support was influenced by their organizing efforts, although they described his position as qualified due to his backing of a public-option bill called Medicare X.
The DSA's recent program advocates for universal health care at no cost to individuals, among other proposals. When asked about the DSA's role within the Democratic Party, Jeffries acknowledged the presence of diverse perspectives within the party but stated, "I don’t support the DSA agenda as has been articulated by the DSA itself."
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., expressed a differing view, calling for a House vote on Medicare for All if Democrats regain the majority, stating it is a critical priority. Khanna referenced a Yale analysis projecting significant savings from a single-payer system. Additionally, Mehdi Hasan criticized Jeffries’ stance, arguing that it does not align with the majority of Democrats' views on healthcare.