Comments on: On Health Care, Dems More Alike Than Apart

Clinton, Obama And Edwards Spar Over Who Has The Best Plan, But Details May Not Make A Difference

[samthetvcat]

You know what everybody should do is find out how much health insurance would cost for them and their family if it becomes mandatory and their company drops coverage because that''s the additional cost they''re might have to shell out every year under Hillary''s plan. Even the most basic plans are in the thousands, and plans comparable to the ones many probably have through work aren''t going to be affordable for individuals who don''t have the bargain power to secure a group rate like they currently probably enjoy through work.

[samthetvcat]

pt 2
2. The second big difference is that Hillary is not planning on taking on the Insurance Industry the way Obama (and Edwards?) intend. With Corporate America being so greedily out of control, does this seem fair?

[samthetvcat]

There''s not much difference amongst the plans in the sense that universal healthcare is just a pipe dream at this point, and there''s probably little any one individual is going to be able to do to revolutionize the system any time soon, even if that person is President.

I''ve only checked out Hillary and Obama''s plans, but the big differences between their plans are that:

1. Hillary''s plan is a monumental shift which a government report in 2004 found would likely cause 168 million Americans to lose coverage from their employers. With responsibility left to the individual to purchase coverage, only about 28 million of that 168 million would likely be eligible for government subsidies to help cover the cost.

Who benefits from Hillary''s plan? Insurance companies who get millions of new customers (she is NOT planning on setting up a new government insurance plan), and big business will have the excuse they''re looking for to not bother with health insurance for their employees anymore (via Clinton''s repeal of the government tax break subidy for health care costs). Who gets hurt by Hillary''s plan? The lower-class who now have to pay for insurance with only partial subsidy, the middle-class who will have to pay out of pocket for insurance once their employers stop coverage, and all classes who will end up with a lower quality of care as people are burdened with the additional costs. Hillary''s plan is pro-big business and shifts the burden on individuals.

[sgtrds]

Any of the democrats plans would be a huge improvement over the do-nothing republicans who are in the pockets of the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. All are acceptable to me on the level of all of them are one step closer to the dream of comprehensive government funded health care for all Americans. Americans want it and it will happen.

[incog-nito]

Hillary, on the other hand, has used the word "mandatory". What does this mean? What is the consequence if you don''''t have it? Do you pay a fine? Do you get thrown in jail? If you don''''t have driver''''s insurance you lose your license to drive.....if you fail to acquire mandatory health insurance, do you lose your license to live? :) She needs to explain the word "mandatory".

But she won''''t....because she can''''t.


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Posted by blazercoach1 at 09:50 AM : Dec 05, 2007

She did. You just chose not to read up on it. Mandatory means everyone gets a policy. Those who cannot afford it gets some kind of credit. Of course the details need to be worked out, but it''s not all that difficult to figure out. You have to pay taxes, don''t you? If you''re low-income you pay less tax or not at all.

[voter69]

Um...Dennis Kucinich already has a plan with congressional co-sponsors (HR 676). This is really poor reporting not to mention HR676 at all. Single payer not-for-profit health care for all. It would eliminate the need for Insurance companies and no one could be turned down for pre-existing conditions. It is the best way to go and this article does not mention it at all. AND IT IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER CANDIDATES MEDICAL PLAN. This article is bull.

[standlee5]

....and sadly, the Republicans'' candidates plans are all alike as well ; healthcare problem? What problem?

[mudrose-2009]

Here is another way to do it. Redirect all the foreign aide given to Israel and use it for health coverage.
Posted by clarkssuppor

I got a better idea. Defund Planned Parenthood.

[clarkssuppor]

Here is another way to do it. Redirect all the foreign aide given to Israel and use it for health coverage.

[DrColes]

The only thing that is broken in health care is the cost of health care and no one is addressing this problem. The government caused the problem with health care cost crises in America by over socializing (with mandates) medicine to the extent it is not completive.
http://www.InteliOrg.com/