Clinton Calls For Universal Health Care

Plan Requires Every American To Have Insurance, With Assistance To Help Defray Cost

(CBS/AP)  Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a call for universal health care on Monday, plunging back into a political battle she memorably waged and lost as first lady more than a decade ago.

"This is not government-run," Clinton said of her plan to extend coverage to an estimated 47 million Americans who now go without.

All Americans would be required to purchase health insurance, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

Businesses would have to offer insurance to employees or pay into a pool for the uninsured, and no insurance company could refuse anyone coverage because of pre-existing conditions, adds Axelrod.

Clinton would also offer a tax subsidy to small businesses to help them afford the cost of providing coverage to their workers.

She put the government's cost at $110 billion a year.

"Perhaps more than anybody else I know just how hard this fight will be," said the New York senator.

Dismissing the inevitable Republican criticism, Clinton admonished the crowd. "I know my Republican opponents will try to equate health care for all Americans with government-run health care. Don't let them fool us again. This is not government-run."

A front-running contender for her party's nomination, Clinton drew criticism this time from fellow Democrats as well as Republicans.

"To ensure all Americans have affordable health care will take more than leadership that simply knows how to fight," said rival Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

Addressing a crowd at a medical center in the early voting state of Iowa, Clinton laid out her proposal, with the centerpiece a so-called "individual mandate," requiring everyone to have health insurance - just as most states require drivers to purchase auto insurance. Rival John Edwards has also offered a plan that includes an individual mandate, while the proposal outlined by Barack Obama does not.

"I believe everyone - every man, woman and child - should have quality, affordable health care in America," said Clinton, vowing to accomplish the goal in her first term.

For individuals and families who are not covered by employers or whose employer-based coverage is inadequate, Clinton would offer expanded versions of two existing government programs: Medicare and the health insurance plan currently offered to federal employees.

Consumers could choose between either government-run program, but aides stress that no new federal bureaucracy would be created under the Clinton plan.

Clinton proposed several specific measures to pay for her plan, including an end to some of the Bush-era tax cuts for people making more than $250,000 per year. Edwards has vowed to completely repeal the tax cuts for high earners to pay for the cost of his plan, estimated at $90 billion-$120 billion per year, while Obama would pay for his plan in part by letting the tax cuts expire in 2010.

Her speech came nearly 14 years after her first attempt at a universal healthcare plan that was highly criticized by Republicans as a socialized medical plan that eventually fell apart and left a stain on the former First Lady's record, reports CBS News reporter Fernando Suarez. Despite her failed attempt in 1993 Clinton assured the crowd of about 150 doctors, nurses and patients that she grew from her experience.

Aides say she has jettisoned the complexity and uncertainty of the last effort in favor of a plan that stresses simplicity, cost control and consumer choice.

In response, Obama said Clinton's plan is similar to one he proposed in the spring, "though my universal health care plan would go further in reducing the punishing cost of health care than any other proposal that's been offered in this campaign."

He took another swipe at the Clinton administration's closed-door sessions on health care in the 1990s, saying "the real key to passing any health care reform is the ability to bring people together in an open, transparent process that builds a broad consensus for change."

Other Democratic rivals were swift in their criticism.

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden said, "If universal health care plans could have gotten us health care, we would have gotten it a long time ago." Added John Edwards: "If you're going to negotiate universal health care with the same powerful interests that defeated it before, your proposal isn't a plan, it's a starting point."

Edwards said on his first day in office he will submit legislation that would pull health insurance for the president, members of Congress and all political appointees unless they pass universal health care within six months.

Republican Mitt Romney, in New York City for a fundraising stop, criticized Clinton's proposal, saying, "'Hillary care' continues to be bad medicine ... in her plan, we have Washington-managed health care. Fundamentally, she takes her inspiration from European bureaucracies."

The plan that Romney helped institute while governor of Massachusetts requires the same individual insurance mandate as Clinton's and uses state subsidies to help reduce the cost of private coverage. Since then, Romney has said he would leave it up to the states to decide whether they supported such a mandate.

Said Republican Rudy Giuliani's campaign: "Senator Clinton's latest health scheme includes more government mandates, expensive federal subsidies and more big bureaucracy - in short, prescription for an increase in wait times, a decrease in patient care and tax hikes to pay for it all."

[rhs648]

"abbe91 - So all business owners and small families are slave owners? You and those like you have the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to redistribute the wealth of a nation how and where you see fit? And all those who you decide have "too much" - its just tough - they have to live with it?"

I just said that this type of argument was the one used to justify slavery : poor people are there so rich people can stay rich.
Don''''t extrapolate from what I said.

Posted by abbe91

This is absurd. I own a business. Poor people do not buy my products. Therefore, your statement doesn''t make much sense. Most businesses depend on people who can afford their products. A Lexus dealer does not look for poor people. They look for people who can afford their cars. The more money people have, the more businesses prosper.

[rhs648]

"abbe91 - So all business owners and small families are slave owners? You and those like you have the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to redistribute the wealth of a nation how and where you see fit? And all those who you decide have "too much" - its just tough - they have to live with it?"

I just said that this type of argument was the one used to justify slavery : poor people are there so rich people can stay rich.
Don''''t extrapolate from what I said.

Posted by abbe91

This is absurd. I own a business. Poor people do not buy my products. Therefore, your statement doesn''t make much sense. Most businesses depend on people who can afford their products. A Lexus dealer does not look for poor people. They look for people who can afford their cars. The more money people have, the more businesses prosper.

[rhs648]

corrected
I''''''''ve read senator Clinton''''''''s plan and it works."

Posted by scartercmu

How does anyone know Hillary''''s plan works? It hasn''t been tried yet.

[rhs648]

"I''''ve read senator Clinton''''s plan and it works."

Posted by scartercmu

How does anyone know Hillary''s plan works? It has been tried yet.

[rhs648]

How can we afford universal daycare, preschool and healthcare. All this and a bag of chips. We''''re facing inflation, housing equity decline, and possibly labor oontractions. How can we possibly afford all of this and finish the war in Iraq.

Posted by standlee5

The governor of my state has announced plans for tax increases. States have enjoyed huge property tax increases over the last five years as housing prices skyrocketed. Where did the money go? This is just the beginning as Democrats tax and spend. Hopefully you won''t be caught off-guard.

[cfin5]

Every other election that we have produces the greatest "rip tides" of economic instability in our country and I dare say that they trump our GNP''s estimated costs of a mild recession. It is understandable why Americans get fed up with gross injustices that occur time and time again. Our governments response to problems such as,....Increase the money we throw onto a bonfire,....If someone abuses their freedom, my freedom is then punished as if I was some kind of accomplice to the commission of the crime. When folks get frustrated, some politician comes along with an old theme of government packaged with a brand new sales pitch that people with no understanding of history swallow whole. For example,....Instead of giving our Comptroller General "ECONOMIC VETO POWER" (line item too) to halt some pork-spending bills to help get us in the black, these politicians use crisis as a platform for socialism, communism, neoconism, you name it. None of these "isms" have credulity with historical fact in success. We have built so many precedents around the Constitution few Americans even know the real meaning of freedom today. Hillary''s health care plan is smackin'' the socialist drum so clear I am amazed that Americans have no discernment to where she wants to lead us to......IT''S SURE NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR CONSTITUTION!

[my2centss]

Mandatory healthcare. Thats similar to mandatory auto insurance. Everyone knows what a bargain that is in states that require it. If health insurance follows, watch you premiums increase, and be dropped after you file a claim.

[michellem99-2009]

ERASMUS6 GAVE SOME IDEAS..Model it after the nations that have socialised health care, That bloody war is over oil.

[ajmarine1]

How can we possibly afford all of this and finish the war in Iraq.

Posted by standlee5 at 05:13 PM : Sep 18, 2007

Hillary wants to pay for it by taking back the tax cuts that Bush put into place for people making more than $250,000 a year.

[standlee5]

How can we afford universal daycare, preschool and healthcare. All this and a bag of chips. We''re facing inflation, housing equity decline, and possibly labor oontractions. How can we possibly afford all of this and finish the war in Iraq.

[rudy654-2009]

The pukefessors have been effectie. Just what the progressives wanted. Dumb Americans. Can pull the wool over their eyes and make ''''em love it.
posted by mudrose at 02:16 PM : Sep 18, 2007

Pukefessors? Effectie? Dumb Americans? And you think Europeans are what? Poor, dumb beggars in the street? What a creepy little elitist.

[rudy654-2009]

Why would we trust a Marxist/ Communist Hillary to dictate my Healthcare! She is a joke it would be sued out of existence, the government in our constitution does not grant BS queen Hellery the congetital liar to mandate a manditory health care SCAM! This is COMMUNIST! I smell a fat butted ugly communist rat that will make billions for herself, and ruin the best health care in the world, and it would take away our freedoms, our lively hood, freedom of choice! Posted by haaker123 at 03:11 PM : Sep 18, 2007

I would say that just after reading the gobbely *** mess that you just wrote, you really need some kind of special mental health care. I couldn''t make heads or tails out of what you wrote. You''re all over the place with this and that, like a mad man. I hope you have insurance that covers your mental health needs.

[scartercmu]

I''m voting DEMOCRAT not REPUBLICAN! They have failed us from a mismanaged war that has raised taxes (Look people) to more scandals in office than any other President including bill clinton. ZNo republican candidate wants to offer healthcare or get us out of Iraq because they consider it unpatriotic! When did these losers decide what was patriotic! They''ve destroyed American and damamged our people! Open your eyes!

[scartercmu]

I''ve read senator Clinton''s plan and it works. It would require all americans to have health care and if you can''t afford it there are government based plans to assist. If you want to keep your plan you can! But from I''ve noticed, because there would be so many options your heathcare would most likely be reduced. This plan would require hospital evaluation reports so that those that don''t meet the standards would be penalized. To be honest, its not 1.0 this is a better stronger heathcare plan and it insures everybody. This way you can be helped without having to go into debt. I think that you should read her plan before knocking it and then compare it to others. Think like this, why hasn''t any Republicans offered any Iraq plans or healthcare or college plans? Why support them if they are not willing to change the washington works, a systems that has failed us for decades?

[scartercmu]

I''ve read senator Clinton''s plan and it works. It would require all americans to have health care and if you can''t afford it there are government based plans to assist. If you want to keep your plan you can! But from I''ve noticed, because there would be so many options your heathcare would most likely be reduced. This plan would require hospital evaluation reports so that those that don''t meet the standards would be penalized. To be honest, its not 1.0 this is a better stronger heathcare plan and it insures everybody. This way you can be helped without having to go into debt. I think that you should read her plan before knocking it and then compare it to others. Think like this, why hasn''t any Republicans offered any Iraq plans or healthcare or college plans? Why support them if they are not willing to change the washington works, a systems that has failed us for decades?

[haaker123]

Why would we trust a Marxist/ Communist Hillary to dictate my Healthcare! She is a joke it would be sued out of existence, the government in our constitution does not grant BS queen Hellery the congetital liar to mandate a manditory health care SCAM! This is COMMUNIST! I smell a fat butted ugly communist rat that will make billions for herself, and ruin the best health care in the world, and it would take away our freedoms, our lively hood, freedom of choice!
Robbing from the rich and giving it to the poor will ruin the entire world econmy! If people allow a witch that takes money from China a communist country through straw donors is going to dictate to me that I have to have health care. TIME for a national revolution boot out every commy lib out politics, lets take down this criminal witch! It''s going be ugly in 08, her negitives after the Scam health announcement is rising! if any candidate tells me what I have to do! Watch out the AMERICAN people will revolt against all commy lib canmdidates they have so far the the ultra kook left time for a change in the Demoncrap party! Didn''t Mondail the most liberal candidate loose 49 states in 1984, in 08 Hillary looses 50 states! Why would anyone trust the most corrupt person on the planet, this will bring every red blooded American to vote against this Hillary and this BS SCAM!

[abbe91]

"What the proposal does is regulate abuses in the market, such as denying coverage or claims for patients deemed to have "pre-existing conditions".
The insurance companies can currently deny any person or claim they want. That''''s what this addresses.
It''''s like forcing the Chinese to improve product safety, only in this case the government is forcing the insurance companies to stop endangering public safety by denying coverage and the payment of claims.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 11:16 AM : Sep 18, 2007"

Thanks. I think it''s worth repeating and repeating it again. I don''t see how people can stand coverage denial. Exactly my point. And justifying it by the fact that it will help people who can easily pay to pay a bit less is outrageous.
Also, it''s not just that people with pre-existing conditions would have to pay a larger premium (some probably could, and I wouldn''t object so much), but sometimes there is no way they will find a company
to cover them. No way.

[abbe91]

"Your just small minded, ignorant of facts and choose to play a race card when your arguments and knowledge fail.
Posted by jimmyc1955 at 10:59 AM : Sep 18, 2007"

Well, you were pretty wrong with your argument on the price of gasoline in England. Strange you didn''t comment back on my answer.

[abbe91]

"abbe91 - So all business owners and small families are slave owners? You and those like you have the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to redistribute the wealth of a nation how and where you see fit? And all those who you decide have "too much" - its just tough - they have to live with it?"

I just said that this type of argument was the one used to justify slavery : poor people are there so rich people can stay rich.
Don''t extrapolate from what I said.

[mudrose-2009]

Hillary Clinton has finally shown her true colors.
Posted by incog-nito

She''s just beginning. The whole point of this program is to eventually incorporate everyone into a social welfare system of universal socialized healthcare just like the Europeans et al have. Government will be the only beneficiary of this program and it will be run with such ineptitude because nothing that massive can be run in a streamlined fashion. The woman was cracked way back when she first proposed this universal healthcare *** and she''s even more demented now. What''s even worse is the fact that there are clowns out there who think capitalism is raping America and feel the time is right to swing up right into socialism. The pukefessors have been effectie. Just what the progressives wanted. Dumb Americans. Can pull the wool over their eyes and make ''em love it.