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On Friday, a deeply personal moment in the election campaign showed how the issue of affordable health care was affecting Americans.
At the Friday event in Carson City, a Navy veteran, John, told Sanders he had a $ 139,000 debt because his health insurance, Tricare, a military program, does not was more accepted.
Sanders listened carefully when John, who said he had spent 20 years in the military, revealed that he had been diagnosed with Stage Four Huntington Disease, a neurodegenerative disease.
When Sanders asked him how he was going to pay his debt, John answered by raising his voice: "I can not, I can not, I will kill myself."
The senator cut him off – "Wait, John, stop, you're not going to kill yourself, stop," Sanders said.
"I can not do that," John said with frustration in his voice. "I have Huntington's disease, do you know how difficult it is? You know, you probably do not have one, do not you? I can not I can hardly take care of myself. "
"Agree, discuss later at the end of the meeting, agree?" Sanders told John.
As promised, Sanders and his wife Jane spoke to John after the end of the campaign.
Sanders told CNN that during this conversation with the veteran, he had made sure his team was getting the correct contact information.
"What I wanted to be sure of was that I got the right information because what I did not want, it's just that he's talking about his story, but what about that?" He can not follow it, "said Sanders.
"He told me that he was not answering his phone much because bill collectors call him every day," Sanders said of what he had learned. by talking more with the veteran.
Sanders also said his team had already made contact with one of Nevada's senators about the situation of this veteran.
"We are already in touch with one of Nevada's senators, and we will be contacting the entire Nevada Congress delegation to provide him with the help he needs," said the Vermont Senator.
"We will follow up on Monday," Sanders added later.
"Here is someone who risked his life to defend this country, a veteran with a terrible and terrible disease, and what was obviously very disturbing was when he used the word suicide." Sanders told CNN as he pondered his interaction. . "It was the most dramatic and painful moment of the whole meeting of the city," he added.
"This should not happen in America, nor for a veteran, nor for anyone in this country, and it is incomprehensible that in the current health system, about half a million people go bankrupt every year because of medical bills, "Sanders told CNN.
"It is clear that we are not doing what we should be doing to ensure that all veterans in the country get all the quality care they need when they need it," he said.
If you or a veteran you know needs help, call the Veterans' Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1.
Sabrina Shulman from CNN contributed to this report.
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