Romney: Health Care For All Americans In Four Years

By: David L Miller
Topics: Mitt Romney

(AP)

From CBS News' Scott Conroy, on the trail with the Mitt Romney campaign:

Addressing an audience composed mainly of medical students and professionals at Des Moines University on Tuesday, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney delivered a detailed policy speech on health care. Along the campaign trail, Romney often demonstrates a firm grasp on the nuances of the issue, but this speech provided something new: a prediction that it would take no more than four years to get every American insured under his plan.

"I just want to underscore something — we can get everybody in this country insured," Romney said. "My plan is designed to get everybody in this country insured. My estimate is that from the time you would put in place this program—pass the legislation necessary to put in place this program — within four years every American would be insured."

One of Romney's signature achievements as Massachusetts governor was to push through a health care reform bill that required everyone in the state to have health insurance or face fines. Romney says that while he is proud of the plan he enacted in his state, he wants to take a federalist approach to the issue that would get more Americans covered with private insurance, rather than reverting to an expanded government program.

Romney said Republicans need to work with Democrats on this issue and cited his unlikely partnership with Sen. Ted Kennedy, which he attributed to helping get the reform bill through in Massachusetts.

"I thought Ted Kennedy had the best line of the day," Romney said. "He said, 'When Mitt Romney and Ted Kennedy are celebrating the same bill it proves only one thing: One of us didn't read it.'"

Speaking with reporters after the speech, Romney was asked about Bill Clinton's recent attempt to shift blame away from Hillary Clinton and to himself for his administration's failed 1993 health care reform bill.

"My approach is based on the free enterprise system and personal responsibility — hers is based on government," Romney said. "And you know, it's very nice for President Clinton to try to take the blame for things that happened in the past, but she's the one running for president now, not him, and she's going to have to stand up and defend Hillary-care Version 1.0 and Version 2.0."

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by DrColes November 22, 2007 2:10 PM EST: The government caused the problem with health care in America by over socializing (with mandates) medicine to the extent it is not completive, and we want to exacerbate the problem? U.S. Capitalism refers to an economic system in which the means of production are all owned and operated for profit, and in which investments, distribution, income, production and pricing of goods and services are determined through the operation of a market economy. It is the right of individuals and groups of individuals acting as "legal persons" or corporations to trade capital goods, labor, land and money (see finance and credit). See http://www.InteliOrg.com/; Reply to this comment


by b-easy63 November 21, 2007 2:57 PM EST: Who can argue with a policy of health insurance that costs about as much as three cartons of cigarettes a month?

Posted by DLounsbury1 at 01:10 AM : Nov 21, 2007

wow!! Such a low cost for this? Who subsidizes it? sounds like socialized medicine--and when the only way to make people pay is to take it directly out of their paychecks or taxes (for the self employed) that Republican would be doing what the right has claimed to never want to do--how about stopping Drs and Pharm companies from charging the earth for people to exist?; Reply to this comment


by b-easy63 November 21, 2007 2:54 PM EST: My approach is based on the free enterprise system and personal responsibility %u2014 hers is based on government,%u201D Romney said. %u201C

And Romney would be in for a shock when after 4 years, the "Free" system tried to gouge the public and the public refused to pay for what they could not afford. LOL; Reply to this comment


by DrColes November 21, 2007 2:33 PM EST: The government caused the problem with health care in America by over socializing (with mandates) medicine to the extent it is not completive, and we want to exacerbate the problem? U.S. Capitalism refers to an economic system in which the means of production are all owned and operated for profit, and in which investments, distribution, income, production and pricing of goods and services are determined through the operation of a market economy. It is the right of individuals and groups of individuals acting as "legal persons" or corporations to trade capital goods, labor, land and money (see finance and credit). See http://www.InteliOrg.com/; Reply to this comment


by rowdytexan2 November 21, 2007 12:50 PM EST: That''s fine and dandy, Mr. Romney...fine everybody that can''t afford to pay the high premiums for less coverage! I bet the insurance companies in your state are laughing all the way to the bank!

First they have to have a decent paying job so they CAN afford it. Else they can''t feed their kids.

You sound like a STUPID republican!
Use ALL your money to finance the insurance companies. They need it desperately!; Reply to this comment


by dlounsbury1 November 21, 2007 4:10 AM EST: Romney has figured out how to hold down soaring medical costs--HAVE EVERYONE WHO USES THE MEDICAL SYSTEM ACTUALLY HAVE A WAY TO PAY THEIR BILL.

Over 25% of those who use the healthcare system do not have health insurance or state insurance. That makes the cost of insurance AND medical care more expensive for those who pay. By subsidizing the poorest among us and by using a mostly market approach for everyone else, Romney steals from the democrats their number one agenda item--health care.

Who can argue with a policy of health insurance that costs about as much as three cartons of cigarettes a month?; Reply to this comment


by JedMerrill November 20, 2007 11:49 PM EST: Wow. I wasn''t expecting to hear such a strong statement on this so soon, but I can buy into this vision.

Health insurance should also be cheaper than it is now, with the greater volume of the insured.

I met Mitt face-to-face last week, and I have to say, he is the top choice for President anyone could pick in either party.

If you are tired of politicians who talk a lot and don''t have the competence to get things done, vote for Mitt instead. Mitt is my prescription for America.; Reply to this comment


by hypnotoad72 November 20, 2007 10:30 PM EST: ScottFromAZ - Romney says "personal responsibility" but also says the state will pony up (some of) the money. Given states'' increasingly strapped budgets, increasing health care costs, how can the states afford to dole out the money? (by chopping corporate subsidies to some of the Fortune 500 companies, perhaps?)

Now Romney is right that both sides need to work together; him vs Hillary the choice is clear (and it''s not Hillary). I just have to wonder where some of these costs will be resolved.

There should be personal incentives for such coverage as well. Right now a person can get his act together, eat and exercise as directed or better, and still be disqualified for any profit-tarnishing excuse. How will any candidate address that question?; Reply to this comment


by scottfromaz November 20, 2007 10:26 PM EST: No it''s more like, when you drive a Lexus with nice rims and eat out all the time and waste money at the State Fair and blow money on entertainment spending then can''t afford your rent or Health Insurance....

If you make 2500.00 a month, you should be able to pay for 175.00 month in Health Care. You guys mark my words, Mitt Romney will be the next president and the country will be better for it.

ALSO to all those people that think the Insurance are the devil, Romney and the Democrats made sure the Insurance companies are playing fair, including pre existing conditions and insurability guarantees....

Hillary is toast, Go Romney.; Reply to this comment


by scottfromaz November 20, 2007 10:20 PM EST: It''s a little more user friendly than that.... It something like If you make less then 30k a year and your a US citzen, the state will pay half of the premium.

Mitt Romney is brillant.; Reply to this comment