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Bush HHS Secretary On Health Reform: Government Should Have A Role

During an interview with the Deseret News editorial board, President Bush’s Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt appeared to distance himself from the Republican alternative to universal health reform — consumer driven health care. While it’s unclear if Leavitt was endorsing an Obama-like proposal, Leavitt’s suggestion that the government — and not just the free market — has a role to play in providing affordable coverage seems to rebuke conservative campaign talking points:

“The solution isn’t to continue to keep doing what we did in the past,” he said. “The role of government needs to be worked out. Is it to own the system or organize the system?

Leavitt said he foresees three possible outcomes for making comprehensive changes: incremental steps with expansions of health-care insurance for children and by expanding Medicare for seniors, the Big Bang change with details to be worked out later, the Big Bang carefully done.

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