Yes, I have read their proposals and Rich posted a link with a good comparison. The democrats have plans. McCain really does not have a plan and it is apparent it is not a major issue for him. None of the plans are set up the way I would set up a plan. But of the three, McCain's is the worst.
I want a plan that will have a mechanism so everyone can get health insurance if an insurance model is followed. I do not see this as an impossible task. We can limit or eliminate underwriting. Or we can provide subsidizes. Or we can have a nationwide risk pool. We can fund Medicaid and have it cover everyone that is poor. Or we could open Medicare for all. There are many possibilities.
In the Bush years, other than the Medicare drug plan, the only other significant program which was offered benefited the healthy with money, specifically health savings accounts. I want something that benefits the unhealthy. And those without money. At least under Clinton administration we got group health insurance portability which helped job lock to some extent and helped reduce the ability of insurance companies to cancel your policy for no good reason.
McCain's proposals do absolutely nothing for people with preexisting illnesses. And I see nothing that will get health insurance or health care to the working poor and those not eligible for Medicaid. Under current law, if you not disabled and don't have young children, even though you might be dirt poor there is no Medicaid for you.
For those who criticize Hillary on the basis that the plan she put forward never went anywhere, I think that is not a valid criticism. The time was not right. Instead, I think of Hillary as having the most education on the issue. Since that plan was proposed, many millions more are without health insurance and many employers that used to oppose any kind of national solution now are supportive of a national solution. The opposition was very strong at the time. In the face of increased costs and increased numbers of the uninsured, that opposition has wanned to some extent. Even a number of staunch conservatives here would like to see something done to eliminate cherry picking, adverse selection, and want to see a safety net for the poor. SamClem is a good example.
I do doubt that there would be a huge race to retire early if there was national health insurance. People aren't rich enough.
Well, I could talk all day on the issue. . .
Last edited:
