Cohn: Like Bush, McCain’s health care plan is a ‘disaster.’
By on Mar 5th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Cohn: Like Bush, McCain’s health care plan is a ‘disaster.’
In a new article, Jonathan Cohn, the New Republic’s resident health care wonk, examines “the disaster that is McCain’s health policy.” Cohn writes that “the reform plan he unveiled back in October” indicates that McCain will act “a little like George W. Bush” when it comes to health care policy. By embracing the same ideas as Bush — such as changing the tax treatment of health benefits — “for Americans who are sick or poor or both, the McCain plan could mean fewer insurance choices than they have now — or no choice at all.”
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Republicans hurt themselves more by even pretending to care about health care issues.
Wake me when all for-profit insurance companies are eliminated.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:04 amI don’t think any of the candidates will eliminate for-profit health insurance companies. However, the democratic approach would properly regulate this industry that has been running wild for decades by eliminating the perversities of the market — premium-shadowing, anti-selection, fragmentation of risk pools, proof of insurability, etc.
More than anything, the republicans have hurt themselves by exposing their complete ignorance of health care, economic, tax policy, telecommunication and any other issue and their inability to understand the proper role of regulation. McLame is no exception.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:10 am“After the war, McCain would have been eligible for medical care from the Veterans Administration. As a member of Congress, he can get insurance through the federal employees’ plan; when he turned 65, he became eligible for Medicare. It may have escaped McCain’s notice, but those are all government programs. And, if that care is good enough for him, then why not everybody else?” from Cohn’s piece
Absolutely!
March 5th, 2008 at 11:12 amI don’t think any of the candidates will eliminate for-profit health insurance companies.
Comment by tom — March 5, 2008 @ 11:10 am
I agree — at least not right away. It will require some kind of “bridge” program; something that will move us closer to a single-payer system while providers can adjust to being players within that system.
Sort of like how Clinton (Bill) couldn’t eliminate the “no gays” policy of the military right away — he had to implement the “don’t ask, don’t tell” compromise as a bridge.
One of McCain’s points in his health care position is that he wants to promote more competition among providers. While additional competition works to keep prices down in many industries, it won’t work with health insurance. In order to make a profit as it is, a for-profit insurance provider has to deny claims and cherry-pick their insureds. More competition will just exacerbate that problem.
A proper bridge program would start out by not allowing insurance companies to refuse people and setting firm minimum guidelines on what must be provided. And that’s just the beginning.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:20 am“After the war, McCain would have been eligible for medical care from the Veterans Administration. As a member of Congress, he can get insurance through the federal employees’ plan; when he turned 65, he became eligible for Medicare. It may have escaped McCain’s notice, but those are all government programs. And, if that care is good enough for him, then why not everybody else?†from Cohn’s piece
Not to mentioned that he doesn’t have to pay a dime for since it comes out of our pockets.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:22 amUh, ok, for once and for all get this straight, EVERYTHING Regressives do is wrong, or a crime or both.
Bush/Cheney
March 5th, 2008 at 11:57 amHague Trials ‘09
More McBCuasihn
March 5th, 2008 at 11:58 amHe doesn’t have coherent plans for anything - even his Iran war fantasy, because he never expected to get this far, and no one else expected him to, either.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:08 pm#4 missmolly - I agree it has to be a transition to a single payer system but I think initial guidelines would also have to include boundaries on how much can be charged in addition to accepting everyone. A fews years ago the California Public Employee Retirement system refused to grant a contract to a local HMO because they would not negotiate their costs to meet what others were charging. Remember that many employers negotiate with employee unions for health care costs - what the employee will pay and what the employer will pay. If only the higher priced companies are willing to submit their plans initially, then we are still screwed. This past “bargaining season” my husband’s employer got ticked off about something so they only offered employee only coverage or family coverage. My husband and I could be saving about $600 a month if they had not taken employee and spouse coverage off the table. Yes, do things gradually but make sure we all start out on a level playing field.
March 5th, 2008 at 1:13 pm#9, I agree. It would be too easy for an insurance company to comply by offering insurance to everyone if there are no minimums of what that insurance covers. I don’t believe any candidate’s plan addresses the health care problem effectively, at least from the info available.
Labeling it “universal health care” when it’s actually just “insurance for everybody” with too many holes is a misnomer.
March 5th, 2008 at 2:17 pmGet your heads on straight. Health care is only for the wealthy elite. Those who fail to fall within the top 1% of the economy deserve only the illusion of health care. We will give you a policy when you are healthy. The insurance company will drain your finances for years and then drop you at the first significant illness. But why would we want those who are not wealthy (thus morally inferior since wealth is the only real measure of one’s moral value) to become anything more than objects of scorn and suffering. Who else would we have to laugh at?
March 5th, 2008 at 3:59 pmMcInsane = Doesn’t know jack about the economy , his health care plan is a disaster , wants to stay in Iraq for a century , and wants to start attacking Iran immediately ; partially out of his friendship with that turd Zionist , Loserman .
And this is the best the GOP can come up with ?
I could find a friggin’ popcorn vendor at a local carnival that is more worthy …………………..
March 5th, 2008 at 4:09 pm