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| Obama offers universal health care plan | |
| 2007-05-29 | |
| Seeking to add heft to his presidential bid, Democrat Barack Obama is offering a sweeping plan that would provide every citizen a means to have health coverage and calls on government, businesses and consumers to share the costs of the program. Obama said putting in place universal health coverage has been debated for decades, but the time has finally come to act. He said his plan could save the average consumer $2,500 a year and bring health care to all. And ponies for everyone, too! "The time has come for universal, affordable health care in America," Obama said in remarks prepared for delivery at the unveiling of his plan Tuesday in Iowa City. A copy of his remarks and documents describing the program were obtained by The Associated Press. Under Obama's proposal, every American would be required to carry health insurance, and the Illinois senator would create a National Health Insurance Exchange to monitor insurance companies in offering the coverage. In essence, Obama's plan retains the private insurance system but injects additional money into the system to pay for the expanded coverage. Those who can't afford coverage would get a subsidy on a sliding scale depending on their income, and virtually all businesses would have to share in the cost of coverage for their workers. The plan that would be offered would be similar to the one covering members of Congress. His package would prohibit insurance companies from refusing coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Filed under "Lurid Crime Tales" for a reason.
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| Posted by:Spot |
| #17 He's out-Hillaried Hillary, guarding her left flank. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-05-29 18:16 |
| #16 The governator is pushing the same type of bill through the Colliefornia legislature... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-05-29 17:58 |
| #15 Thought Vermont had passed legislation to create a statewide health care plan also. Maybe it was New Hampshire. It would explain why the Old Man of the Mountain dropped his face, if it was NH. "Live Free or ... well... just give us goodies. That's cool, too" (sounds more like something Vermont would do, though) |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-05-29 15:44 |
| #14 #9 Don't give them any ideas. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2007-05-29 15:18 |
| #13 Hey, it's gotta happen eventually. I submitted an article just a couple minutes ago about how the US has an upcoming liability of something like $40 Trillion for upcoming Social Security. This would make a big chunk of that vanish. Hey, it's either that or leave your parents by the side of the road when they don't want to go on anymore. |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-05-29 14:44 |
| #12 Thought Vermont had passed legislation to create a statewide health care plan also. Maybe it was New Hampshire. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-05-29 14:04 |
| #11 Two points. The first is a great article from last year outlining the failures of the National Health care system in Great Britain. Link The second, watch what happens in Massachusetts. Before Governor Romney left office, a plan for required Health care for all Massachusetts citizens was passed. It kicks in on July 1st and it will be interesting to see what happens down the road. See article: Pros & Cons of Massachusetts' Mandatory Health Insurance Program Link |
| Posted by: Delphi 2007-05-29 13:14 |
| #10 During the Clinton administration. Cinton's VP, Al Gorge, was from Tennessee. Tennessee was used as a trial baloon for universal health care for the poor. The health care system caused Tennessee to go from a healthy balanced budget to one that hemorrhage red after several years. The health care system was a dismal failure that tax payers could not afford. It was recently scrapped. The donks are good at spending other people's hard-earned money. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-05-29 12:11 |
| #9 In his next proposal, he'll explain how he'll control health costs by requiring every American to spend twenty minutes a day exercising, banning red meat, alcohol, soft drinks, tobacco, and unprotected sex. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2007-05-29 12:02 |
| #8 And another argument from 1993-4 - why in the world would the post office or any members of an org which has wonderful bennies want to get their bennies cut? |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2007-05-29 12:01 |
| #7 --virtually all businesses would have to share in the cost of coverage for their workers.-- Don't they already? --every American would be required to carry health insurance-- Ohhh, the Indians are a separate nation, wait until the Akaka bill passes - both opt out - people won't like that. And legal immigrants just might stay legal immigrants because they won't be required. Conversely, businesses can say, "You're not an American - I'm not going to pay for your insurance," - wait, we already have it. How are they going to find the homeless to make them carry insurance? They move from city to city. |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2007-05-29 11:58 |
| #6 Under Obama's proposal, every American would be required to carry health insurance, and the Illinois senator would create a National Health Insurance Exchange to monitor insurance companies in offering the coverage. Ya' know, there's this little tick I get in my eye every time I hear some politician say something stupid like every American would be required to. I guess it's something to do with that pesky "freedom" idea and that dirty old scrap of paper called the Constitution. Not that either of those mean anything to someone with the power hunger of Obama or the Hildebeast. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-05-29 10:52 |
| #5 Under Obama's proposal, every American would be required to carry health insurance, and the Illinois senator would create a National Health Insurance Exchange to monitor insurance companies in offering the coverage. Ya' know, there's this little tick I get in my eye every time I hear some politician say something stupid like every American would be required to. I guess it's something to do with that pesky "freedom" idea and that dirty old scrap of paper called the Constitution. Not that either of those mean anything to someone with the power hunger of Obama or the Hildebeast. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-05-29 10:51 |
| #4 There is a massive, government program that is inflexible, hard to wade through the paperwork, filled with waste and nearly impossible to work with. I know! Let's give it to everybody! Asshats.... |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-05-29 10:08 |
| #3 My apologies to Sen. Mrs. Bill Clinton. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-05-29 10:05 |
| #2 Back off, eLarson. That's my plan... |
| Posted by: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton 2007-05-29 09:01 |
| #1 Why doesn't he a just put every man, woman and child on Medicare from the day they are born to the day they die? |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-05-29 08:12 |