The unnamed employee was quoted asking Bertolini, "In the news media, it is reporting that the Republican health plan is paving the way to a single-payer system. What are your thoughts on that, and how would it impact Aetna?"

Bertolini answered, "If the government wants to pay all the bills, and employers want to stop offering coverage, and we can be there in a public private partnership to do the work we do today with Medicare, and with Medicaid at every state level, we run the Medicaid programs for them, then let's have that conversation."

Aetna spokesperson T.J. Crawford wrote in an email, according to the report, that the CEO "was certainly not advocating for a single-payer system," but instead was indicating that he was open to debating it "while pointing out that public-private partnerships have been the backbone of the more successful government health care programs (examples include administering Medicare Advantage or Medicaid managed care). In other words, partnering works when done the right way."

Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., however, has advocated for a single-payer system, calling it "Medicare for All" during his presidential campaign.

And a bill has already been introduced proposing it in the House; in January of this year, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced the Expanded & Improved Medicare for All Act, H.R. 676. The bill, which would create a publicly funded health care system for all U.S. residents, and attempt to cover all medically necessary procedures, was referred to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Natural Resources.