Romney Outlines Health Care Plan

Former Massachusetts Governor Says Other States Can Replicate His State's Universal Health Care Program

(AP)  Former Gov. Mitt Romney says other states can replicate Massachusetts' program of universal health care if the federal government creates an environment in which private health insurance can expand.

In a speech being delivered Friday to the Florida Medical Association, the Republican presidential contender is to declare he wants the government to help states lower premiums by deregulating their insurance industries.

Romney says Washington also should make tax changes so all people can use pretax dollars to buy coverage — as workers do who get coverage through their employers.

And he says the Medicaid program for people with low incomes should be overhauled. The goal should be to provide states with block grants so they can create insurance programs — freed from federal mandates — that are tailored to their individual needs.

In Massachusetts, a federal block grant was used to subsidize low-income insurance coverage, which, in turn, is being used to encourage residents to engage in more preventive and less emergency care. Similar grants were used nationally in 1996 so states had the freedom to restructure their welfare programs.

Romney's plan would help people buy private health insurance "in a way that builds on the experience in Massachusetts but doesn't force a one-size-fits-all approach on other states," said Sally Canfield, a Romney policy adviser who previewed the speech for reporters.

Health care has typically been an issue emphasized by Democratic candidates. The former Massachusetts governor has battled to claim it for the GOP by citing the 2006 measure he signed into law to help bring coverage to people who lack insurance.

On Thursday, Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined her own vision for covering the 45 million nationally who lack insurance, although Romney has preferred to deride as "Hillarycare" the universal health program she tried unsuccessfully to implement in 1993 while serving as first lady.

The overarching principle in Romney's national plan stems from the line in the Hippocratic oath: "Do no harm." The candidate says Americans like their existing system of employer-provided coverage, and he believes it needs only modifications to expand to the uninsured.

One slide in the presentation he plans to deliver states: "No Europe-like rationing."

While the presentation highlights features of the Massachusetts plan, Romney also distances himself from the government bureaucracy it created and its requirement that all state residents get coverage by July 1. He says states will be free to craft the specifics of their own programs.

Social and fiscal conservatives such as those Romney is courting generally favor fiscal discipline, loathe government bureaucracy and oppose federal mandates.

"We're not saying every state has to have a mandate," said Canfield, the Romney policy adviser. "Their uninsured may be a different slice than it was in Massachusetts."

[Ed0719]

Flip-Flop Romney''s "plan" is simply more of the same. Just like the current "prescription plan" that a GOP congress pushed through, it is welfare for the corporate world. There is little help for people who actually need it, but big government payouts to corporate interests, and a tax cut for the wealthy to boot.

And what does the GOP manage to do very well? Lie about every other country''s universal healthcare system. The GOP can spread propaganda extremely well. And they have Faux News to help them. And there''s always some lackey in these forums claiming to have family in Canada or UK, etc. and telling horror stories. But I simply don''t believe them. Why? Because I''ve personally experienced the systems in Canada and UK. The only wait you may have is for ELECTIVE care. If you''re sick you get care immediately, if your life depends on surgery, you get it immediately. You might have to wait for that boob job or facelift, though, and that scares the bejesus out of the GOP housewives.

[standlee5]

Poor people get health care from our welfare system. It''s middle class people who need assistance. Mitt''s plan has merit but it seems as though we''d all be better off to get the employer out of the equation.

[realpatriot1]

Mitt''s brilliant plan is to force those who can''t afford insurance and must choose between food and healthcare to coose healthcare.

It''s already a failure because the uninsured are still uninsured. Is he going to start putting poor people into jail now?

What a typical rich ***.

[perception5]

Mitt is the most viable moderate conservative in the Presidential race and the best qualified to bring new leadership with his vision for America''s future. As Michael Reagan has reminded everyone, his beloved father, The Gipper; when Governor of California signed a major pro-abortion piece of legislation before he became our party''s greatest conservative and pro-life President. So good people do evolve in their positions on social issues. When elected governor in 2002 he assumed a monstrous 3 billion dollar deficit and put the state od Massachusetts back in the black without raising taxes. His success in public office mirrors his record in the private sector at Bain Capitol where he reorganized and made household names of companies such as Domino''s Pizza and Staples. He also bailed out the U.S. Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, and turned a profit there for 100 million dollars. Candidate Romney graduated valedictorian in undergrad; then pursued a double degree at Harvard (M.B.A. and law) graduating in the top 5% of his class while doing so. Gov. Romney''s record not only reflects his fiscal expertise; but he''s also pro-life. As governor, Romney vetoed a bill which would have funded human cloning and the destruction of human embryos. A strong family man, Romney has been married for 38 years to his wife Ann. Romney has also taken a tough stance on terrorism, and he''s the only top tier presidential candidate who strongly opposed the flawed Senate immigration bill.

[sjc_1]

All the private plans merely put public funds into private for profit hands. With auto insurance, you can chose not to drive, with health insurance I guess you would have to chose not to live and that seems at least more than a bit extreme.

Unless you have Medicare for all, you are just putting a band aid on a major wound. Health Care (and I use that term loosely) has become such a big cash cow that he has become THE gravy train for many in our economy. This is NOT sustainable.

[navyretired2]

And the guys that pay the big campaign bucks and smooch the most rear continue to get the headlines and press coverage...

Meanwhile, Dr. Ron Paul has the best message and agenda for AMERICANS of all candidates, but you hear nothing of him. He''s not sleeping with big business so "shhhhhhhhh...don''t talk about that guy."

www.ronpaul2008.com

[forthepeopl1]

She says she is the Democrat best equipped to fight terrorists, but White House hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton told New Hampshire voters Thursday that another attack on the United States would likely help Republican candidates at the polls. IN OTHER WORDS BIN ARE YOU WATCHING IF YOU DONT WANT A DEM IN OFFICE AND WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THIS WAR THAN GO AHEAD AND ATTACK US..


Sen. Hillary Clinton said the Republicans would benefit politically if a terrorist attack occurred before the ''''''''08 vote.

"It''''''''s a horrible prospect to ask yourself, ''''''''What if? What if?'''''''' " Clinton, a New York Democrat, told a house party in Concord, according to the New York Post and The Associated Press and confirmed by her campaign.

"But, if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world."

Clinton added that if such a scenario occurred, she is the best Democratic presidential candidate "to deal with that." AND YOU WANT THIS TRAILER TRASH AS PRESIDENT..RIGHT...

GO AHEAD AMERICA AND VOTE HER IN AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS...

[pepperp1]

Romney says Washington also should make tax changes so all people can use pretax dollars to buy coverage %u2014 as workers do who get coverage through their employers.


This is a good element of the plan.

[brianbwb-2009]

Private insurance is even more corrupt because it is not accountable. Romney''s is just more "trickle down" puerile pap.

Here''s how to do it, subsidize med school in exchange to serve the equivalent of four years in public hospitals, whose construction and maintenance are to be funded by taxes on tobacco, alcohol, firearms, Pharmaceuticals, legalized marijuana, gambling, and the money saved by ending our involvement in Iraq. Also tax Bechtel and Halliburton''s US assets to recover the illegal war profits, and kick that into the pot.

That will cover it, and will provide the competition necessary to force the private insurers to lower costs, and deliver better product.

[sjc_1]

Mandatory health insurance is like leading lambs to the slaughter. My state has mandatory auto insurance, but fails to adequately regulate the auto insurance industry. The result is that you are forced to pay what they charge you.

Since there is more that 20% overhead in private for profit health insurance plans and less than 2% over head in Medicare non-profit health insurance plans, I would want Medicare for all, it is much more efficient. We can provide better care to more people at a lower cost.

[vastr-wcon]

.

If you don''t like flip-flop--flop-flip Romeny''s healthcare plan, just wait a day or two. By then he should have a different one.

.

[ov442]

Operation Monarch/ Project MK Ultra, must be what the Republicans used on their loyal, unquestioning and completely nonsensical loyal following of supporters.

How else do you explain their rage filled, violent, hateful personalities? They support their GOP commanders whilst committing crimes, passing power grab and greed legislation, and empowering rich powerful people to stomp on the poor and lower classes.

they then lie cheat and insult the opposition, with falsehoods, mischaracterizations, and commit historical whitewash.

[prinzowhales]

War Pig Romney wants to "deregulate" the insurance companies because it will, lower costs...That worked well for the Savings & Loans didn''t it? If you vote for this clown, you''ll end up envying his dog who so enjoyed his ride in a dog carrier on the roof of his station wagon.

We have a health care system that is over-priced, over-rated and is based on what has been called "Rockefellar Medicine". I don''t want to have to pay for this system for myself, or anyone else. The WHO ranks us 37th in the world.
Cuban peasants live longer than our physicians.
Our health care system is a leading cause of death!

[condumism]

Posted by akoeppen:

America will NEVER have a universal, communist-like, health care system,(ie "Hillarycare")

American''s are too dumb and badgered by corproate america to realize that the government run universal health care programs in Europe, Japan, and Canada costs one half of what is in the USA, with superior care. You deregulate everything repigs are the number one problem with the USA, thus the reason 17% of GNP in the USA goes to a broken health care system. I''ll take socialism over American Corporate anarchy anyday!

[standlee5]

Hwk, I''ve been buying myown health insurance since 1989 so you''re challening the wrong person. I''ve been on high deductible and 100% coverage plans. I just changed policies to a $3000 deductible plan and saved $100 a month. Right now I pay $165 mo. A family would pay $632 and that includes prescription policy with 0 deductible for generics.

[ramos937]

This is my idea of universal health coverage:
(1) do away with Medicare/Medicaid and fire about 90% of the staff, (2) open the Federal Employee Health Plan to the general public, (3) Use the .0165 payroll tax now going to Medicare/Medicaid to fund the new "FEGP". Do this with everyone earning a wage and/or pension and/or welfare checks. (4) direct the personnel savings towards the new "FEHP".
Keep the present structure where 15 to 20 health provider(s) bid for this business.

You see no new taxes, elimination of a bureacracy and better health care for everyone.

Supplemental policies would be available for those that want more than basic health insurance.

[akoeppen]

I am a member of the vast middle class workers in America. My employer provides health insurance for me and my family, however, the premiums are substantially more than the private sector charges. So I skipped out on the crappie plan my employer provides and bought private health insurance.

The BIG PROBLEM with that move is that I cannot use pretax dollars to pay for it. I am in favor of allowing my premiums to be paid with pre-tax dollars. It will save me and my family a lot of money. Give the plan a chance. It allows 50 different states to experiment with changing their individual health systems.

America will NEVER have a universal, communist-like, health care system,(ie "Hillarycare")compromising is better than leaving it the way it is.

[pepperp1]

Romney is a refreshing Republican candidate, mainstream, a successful man in his own right throughout his life and member a of a traditional religion. Not a born again bad boy cultist, he has lived a life of good character hard work and treated his wife and children with respect.

The Mormon faith that you so decry has many many years ago isolated and purged the cultist and extremes for their congregations, very unlike the current Evangelical community newly riddled with extremist, supposedly redeemed bad boys, and cultist that prey of the clinically ill and displaced in our society preaching a doctrine of inadequacy and victimization.

[drivelphobe]

walt1944...

Without profit for the insurance companies, there would be no insurance. Pre-existing conditions are legitimate concerns and no insurance compnay can be expected to cover anyone with any problem. Exclusions and additional charges are a small price to pay for coverage. Be thankful for what you get.

All costs of business are deductible, built into the price of the goods or service, and are deductible as incentives. No incentives and there would not be any benefits for employees offered through a business. The business still pays, but the cost is just reduced by the tax bracket.

Not all costs are deductible. Salaried income over $1,000,000 is not. That is why you have all the games with stock options, golden parachutes, and performance bonuses.

Enjoy the balance of the day.

[cdfoxtrot]

I love the way anything "European" is derided as below standard. Fact is, the US is now not even in the top 40 in terms of life expectancy worldwide, according to last week''s UN report. Most of the countries above the US in that list are European. "Romneycare" is based on the fallacious assumption that insured people are getting the healthcare they need, right now, and all that''s needed is to extend that to the uninsured. No. The reality is that most people don''t get to really test the system until they are in the terrible situation of having a major illness. That''s when they discover that the "great" healthcare system in the US is maybe not that great -- as their insurance company routinely denies claims on expensive procedures. If you happen to be rat Cheney or a zillionaire like Romney, yes, the US system is terrific. But if you''re a poor schmuck like most people, good luck if you need a heart by-pass with a great surgeon.