US Senator Bernie Sanders has backed comments made by US President Donald Trump that Australia has a better health care system than America.
The White House on Saturday downplayed recent comments by Trump praising Australia's healthcare system, with a spokesperson saying there is no desire to implement a similar system in America.
But Sanders, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, said the US should look to Australia on health.
In a tweet, Sanders said Trump was right when he praised Australia's system of universal health care in a meeting with Prime Minister Turnbull in New York.
"President Trump is right. The Australian health care system provides health care to all of its people at a fraction of the cost than we do," Sanders tweeted.
President Trump is right. The Australian health care system provides health care to all of its people at a fraction of the cost than we do. pic.twitter.com/CCrZlEyjQh
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 6, 2017
A video accompanying the tweet explains Australia's Medicare system in positive terms, giving viewers a brief summation of what Aussies benefit from when they are sick.
"We should start off with looking at the Australian health care system. President Trump praised the Australian health care system ... and the president is right," the video states.
"In Australia everyone is guaranteed health care as a right, not a privilege. The country's universal health care program is even called Medicare.
The video claims that "while the US has the most expensive and ineffective health care system in the world, Australia ranks 6 out of 55 in efficiency".
Alongside healthcare, the two world leaders also discussed North Korea, Islamic State and global trade in what Prime Minister Turnbull described as "a very positive" meeting.
The meeting was the first face-to-face encounter between President Trump and Prime Minister Turnbull.
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