They've Got You Covered?
As for the price tag: Clinton estimates that her plan will cost $110 billion per year, and Obama's Harvard analysts put the cost for his plan at $50 billion to $65 billion annually. Both candidates propose to defray these costs primarily by rolling back the tax cuts for those in the top income brackets. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates that such a rollback, in conjunction with other measures like revising the estate tax, could save roughly $140 billion per year – meaning that if the cost estimates are realistic, the method of paying for them may be realistic as well. But since both plans are lacking details – for instance, neither candidate has said how big the tax credits or subsidies would be, or how many people would qualify – it's tough to gauge just how feasible the dollar projections are.
Reprinted with permission from factcheck.org
Sources
Gruber, Jonathan. "Covering the Uninsured in the U.S." National Bureau of Economic Research, Jan. 2008.
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. "Enrolling Uninsured Low-Income Children in Mediaid and SCHIP." Kaiser Family Foundation, Jan. 2007.
Gruber, Jonathan and Ebonya Washington. "Subsidies to employee health insurance premiums and the health insurance market." Journal of Health Economics, 24(2), 2005 March: 253-276.
"This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Sunday Headliner; Senator Hillary Clinton. ABC News transcript, 3 Feb. 2008.
Obama, Barack. "Plan for a Healthy America," 29 May 2007.
Clinton, Hillary. "American Health Choices Plan," 17 Sept. 2007.
Blumenthal, David and David Cutler and Jeffrey Liebman. "Final Costs Memo," 29 May 2007.
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Member Comments
Posted By: letha c. chamberlain @ 05/15/2008 6:04:24 AM
Comment: Frankly, at this point in time, for economic secuity and for freedom's sake I'd rather be living in Sweden, a so'called "socialist state, by most people's standards. I'm going by all that I've seen and read about it--and my current state of disabiity and chronic illness. And, yes, I'm also a productive member of society--but hang on by the "skin of my teeth" and sometimes in extremeley difficuclt circumstances not of my own doing. Does this make me a better person, as some might argue (survival of the fittest?) I do not know or pretend to know. I do think I could be more productive if I did not have the added stress of all this on my plate--but I also know these spiritual battles are meant for my welfare, too (by a God Who cares for me)--and so I reinterpret them as "LOVING discipline, and it doesn't seem bad at all, but actually an exercise in self-control and how to be an even better person." Maybe this would be a helpful way for more people who are in my shoes, too--although when one REALLY needs a doctor, there is no substitute. I have found over the last couple of years, however, that one seldom needs one as often as one fears (and I am an RN, too.)
Posted By: SnglMom @ 04/10/2008 11:45:29 AM
Comment: I can name a few reasons why American health care costs are so high...
1. People with no insurance using ER as primary care offices.
2. Malpratice insurance
3. High salaries
4. Expensive education
5. Pharmacueticals Companies.
Pick one...
Both Clinton and Obama, make good and bad points. Right now I'm leaning towards Obama, just for the simple fact that Hillary can't seem to keep her house in order. Now Bill is working on a trade agreement with Columbia?? That is the most half-@zz backwards thing I have ever heard. It makes me feel like they don't have the American people best interests at heart.
Oh and for those of you that say if your person doesnt get into office you're going to vote for a McCain... that is just plain petty and immature. I'm wondering with attitudes like that... should you be voting at all?
Posted By: Ltsplybll @ 03/05/2008 2:21:14 PM
Comment: have some questions about Obama......Are the comments below True or False??
Upon being sworn into Senate Office Obama REFUSED the Bible and instead was sworn in with the Coran.
Is he a Muslim?
He claims to have nothing to do with his father.....WHY?? What is his father doing these days?? Is he Muslim?