The Senate will vote for a single-payer healthcare system - and there's a specific reason Bernie Sanders will oppose it

AP

Montana Senator Steve Daines

In a twist that exemplifies just how wild the healthcare debate has been, on Thursday the Senate will be voting on a single-payer healthcare plan. From a Republican. Who doesn't support it.

The plan, introduced as an amendment to the House bill by Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, is titled the "Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act."

The amendment will be the third healthcare plan to face a key vote during the 20-hour Senate debate period. Votes on the Better Care Reconciliation Act (the repeal and replace plan) and the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act (the repeal without replace plan) have both been unsuccessful.

The amendment would set up a virtual universal healthcare system in which all Americans would be covered through Medicare, the federal government's health program that currently covers all adults who are at least 65 years old.

But the vote, which is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, isn't expected to pass. It's not even something that Daines supports. The intention is to try to expose which senators would vote in favor of a single payer system.

"I do not support a single-payer system, but I believe Americans deserve to see us debate different ideas, which is why I am bringing forward this amendment," Daines said in a statement emailed to Business Insider. "It's time for every Senator to go on the record on whether or not they support a single-payer healthcare system."

The vote might not expose all that much, though. A representative for Sen. Bernie Sanders - who has been a proponent of "Medicare for All" - called the Republican plan a "sham," and said the Democratic caucus won't be considering amendments until the final bill is out. Democrats also won't be introducing amendments until the debate period is over.

He said in a statement:

"The process Republicans have used to try to take health insurance away from millions is a sham. The Democratic caucus will not consider amendments until we see Republicans' final legislation and know what bill we are amending. Once Republicans show us their final bill, Sen. Sanders looks forward to getting a vote on his amendment that makes clear the Senate believes the United States must join every major country and guarantee healthcare as a right, not a privilege."

During the debate on Thursday, Sanders called the amendment an "old political trick."

"I hope that this is really a breakthrough," Sanders said of the bill, which was introduced by Republican Senator Steve Daines. But, he said, he suspects it's just a game inserted a mid a serious debate about healthcare.

"I think this is not a time for political games," Sanders said.