Assuming Barack Obama becomes the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, and assuming the political debate is allowed to progress beyond patriotism and age, there should be one heckuva discussion about health care.
No matter who the Democratic Party winner is, there will be a stark difference between the presidential candidates on the issue of cost containment and coverage. Most who are following the campaign at all know Obama favors universal health care, though his plan isn't quite "universal" because it doesn't require coverage for all adults, just for all children.
But you've had to cover the campaign a little more closely to know that McCain has a health care plan of his own. He unveiled more of its details, ironically, a day after U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, chided McCain for his lack of a health care plan during the annual Cover the Uninsured event in Monroe on April 28. McCain's proposal mostly has been lost in the media coverage of more important issues like Rev. Jeremiah Wright. That was said with sarcasm, of course.
McCain actually ought to be thankful the health care plan went mostly unnoticed, because it is an awful plan that would be disastrous to many lower- and middle-income families.
The Arizona senator's plan is to give people a tax credit to pay for health insurance, and then set them loose to find whatever coverage they think is best.
McCain proposes a tax credit of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families, who then would shop for themselves for health insurance. What he doesn't say is that individuals and families wouldn't stand a chance of finding decent health insurance at today's costs with that kind of money. You do the math. Add what you currently pay in insurance premiums, ask your employer how much they're paying for your health insurance, and then see if it adds up to less than $2,500 or $5,000.
It doesn't.
And don't count on your employer for more help if McCain's plan were a reality. His proposal would effectively end employer-based health care coverage by taxing the health care premiums paid by employers. You'd truly be on your own.
But worry not. All those consumers out there shopping for the best deal will force insurance companies to lower their premiums in the competition for your business, right?
Right. (Also said with sarcasm.)
If businesses, pooling together, haven't been able to keep premiums from increasing by double-digit percentage points annually, what chance do independent consumers have?
None.
And what about the uninsured? McCain proposes creating a nonprofit corporation that would "contract with insurers" to provide coverage for them. Which sounds a lot like the employer-based setup that McCain would scrap for the rest of us.
Universal health care may not be the answer to coverage and cost concerns. But McCain's plan would be a disaster, and will be able to withstand even the slightest scrutiny during the campaign ... assuming that occurs.
No matter who the Democratic Party winner is, there will be a stark difference between the presidential candidates on the issue of cost containment and coverage. Most who are following the campaign at all know Obama favors universal health care, though his plan isn't quite "universal" because it doesn't require coverage for all adults, just for all children.
But you've had to cover the campaign a little more closely to know that McCain has a health care plan of his own. He unveiled more of its details, ironically, a day after U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, chided McCain for his lack of a health care plan during the annual Cover the Uninsured event in Monroe on April 28. McCain's proposal mostly has been lost in the media coverage of more important issues like Rev. Jeremiah Wright. That was said with sarcasm, of course.
McCain actually ought to be thankful the health care plan went mostly unnoticed, because it is an awful plan that would be disastrous to many lower- and middle-income families.
The Arizona senator's plan is to give people a tax credit to pay for health insurance, and then set them loose to find whatever coverage they think is best.
McCain proposes a tax credit of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families, who then would shop for themselves for health insurance. What he doesn't say is that individuals and families wouldn't stand a chance of finding decent health insurance at today's costs with that kind of money. You do the math. Add what you currently pay in insurance premiums, ask your employer how much they're paying for your health insurance, and then see if it adds up to less than $2,500 or $5,000.
It doesn't.
And don't count on your employer for more help if McCain's plan were a reality. His proposal would effectively end employer-based health care coverage by taxing the health care premiums paid by employers. You'd truly be on your own.
But worry not. All those consumers out there shopping for the best deal will force insurance companies to lower their premiums in the competition for your business, right?
Right. (Also said with sarcasm.)
If businesses, pooling together, haven't been able to keep premiums from increasing by double-digit percentage points annually, what chance do independent consumers have?
None.
And what about the uninsured? McCain proposes creating a nonprofit corporation that would "contract with insurers" to provide coverage for them. Which sounds a lot like the employer-based setup that McCain would scrap for the rest of us.
Universal health care may not be the answer to coverage and cost concerns. But McCain's plan would be a disaster, and will be able to withstand even the slightest scrutiny during the campaign ... assuming that occurs.
