HEALTH CARE!!

Health Care is a major issue that millions of Americans consider when deciding on a candidate for President of the U.S. They all want to know how the new President will change/improve the health care for everyone while in office?

Most Democrats are proposing to institute a Universal Coverage plan, so that those who do not have jobs are still covered by some form of health insurance. While Republicans simply suggest a decrease in the cost of insurance for those who are unemployed and can not afford to pay for their own personal health insurance.

Leading Democratic Candidates Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton have to similar but yet different plans for how they would "improve" the Health System in America.

Senator Hillary Clinton's plan will include the following:

• Coverage for all Americans.
• Federal help for those who can not afford Health Coverage.
• Plan requires insurance companies to offer their benefits to all who apply.
• Can not higher their premiums for those who have pre-existing conditions.
• Large businesses will be required to provide or help with health care coverage for their employees.
• Will expand Medicaid and children's health care programs.
• The plan will cost an estimated $110 Billion annually.

Democratic Candidate Barack Obama's plan includes:

• National Health care for Individuals who do not have health care through their employers.
• Individuals choose between private and public insurance plans.
• Employers who don't provide coverage for their employees must pay into a National Health Insurance Program.
• Requires Health Coverage for all Children.
• Individuals under 25 years of age may be covered through their parents Health Insurance.
• Estimated cost is between $50 & $65 Billion a year.

Leading Republican Candidates Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain also have proposed plans on how to change the health insurance programs in the U.S.


Republican Candidate Mitt Romney's plan will include:

• Covering the uninsured with out creating higher taxes or a government controlled system.
• Supports the idea of states developing their own coverage plans for the uninsured using market based approaches.
• Supports providing greater financial assistance to uninsured Americans to buy private insurance.

• Side Note: As governor, signed into law a universal health care plan that requires all residents to have health insurance, with premiums tied to income and subsidies for the poor.

Mike Huckabee's plan for health insurance reform includes:

• Believes that the "current system is broken".
• Opposes federally mandated universal coverage.
• Encourages private sector innovation to reduce private health care costs.
• Supports market based approaches at the state level.
• Would make health care more affordable by: reforming medical liability, improving electronic record-keeping, promoting portable health plans, expanding health savings accounts, making health insurance tax deductible, and offering tax credits to low income families.

John McCain proposes to change health care by:

• Increasing awareness and promoting the use of the existing children's health care programs.
• Opposes federally mandated universal coverage.
• Expansion of community health centers.
• He supports: health care tax dividends for low-income Americans, medical malpractice reform, improving electronic record-keeping, expanding health savings accounts, and encouraging small businesses to band together to negotiate lower rates with health care providers.

These proposed plans are viewed by many voters, and play a key role in the upcoming 2008 presidential election.