US Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders launched a new version of his Medicare for All policy today aimed at introducing a “single-payer” publicly funded healthcare system.

While most Democrat contenders for presidential candidate are proposing some form of medicare expansion, Mr Sanders’s plan would end the need for reliance on costly individual health insurance plans and cover everyone through general taxation.

It would “get rid of insurance companies and drug companies making billions of dollars in profit every single year,” Mr Sanders said.

Private insurance would only become relevant for people who wanted elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery.

The Trump administration has slammed the plan as unaffordable and likely to involve tax rises — though the average US citizen spent $10,345 (£7,900) on healthcare in 2016 under the current private insurance model.

Donald Trump’s re-election campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said that the president would pursue “free market policies” instead.

He is currently fighting a legal battle to fully eradicate former president Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.