Clinton touts universal health care plan

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

DES MOINES, Iowa - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Monday to create a universal health care system if elected, saying she "learned a lot" during the failed health care effort of her husband's presidency.

"We're going to have universal health care when I'm president — there's no doubt about that. We're going to get it done," the New York senator and front-runner for the 2008 nomination said.

Clinton focused on health care issues during an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America" broadcast from the state where precinct caucuses will launch the presidential nominating season.

Asked how she could improve on her failed effort to reform health care during her husband's presidency, Clinton said pressure for change has built in the last decade and that would make tackling the issue easier.

"I believe the American people are going to make this an issue," said Clinton. "I believe we're in a better position today to do that than we were in '93 and '94. ... It's one of the reasons I'm running for president."

After the televised meeting, Clinton headed to a Des Moines elementary school to receive the endorsement of former Gov. Tom Vilsack and his wife, Christie.

"Hillary Clinton has been tried and tested like no other candidate for president," Tom Vilsack said.

His wife added, "To me, this is not just an endorsement but a commitment."

Clinton said her relationship with the Vilsacks dates to her work in the 1970s with Christie Vilsack's late brother, lawyer Tom Bell.

"We will be crisscrossing Iowa and crisscrossing America," Clinton said.

In her earlier appearance, Clinton argued that health coverage has deteriorated over the last decade, and that's increased public pressure to act.

"The number of uninsured has grown," said Clinton. "It's hard to ignore the fact that nearly 47 million people don't have health insurance, but also because so many people with insurance have found it's difficult to get health care because the insurance companies deny you what you need."

Clinton opened her latest campaign swing with a live broadcast from the Science Center of Iowa, where she spoke to more than 200 activists at a town meeting about health care issues. It's an issue with which she is very familiar. After her husband won the White House in 1992, she headed an effort to put a universal health care system in place. That effort eventually collapsed under pressure in part from the insurance industry.

However, while Clinton said the issue continues to be a high priority for her, she has not offered up a specific plan. One questioner at the town hall meeting held up a copy of a DVD containing a detailed description of Democratic rival John Edwards' plan for universal health care, asking Clinton if she will also offer specifics.

The reason she hasn't "set out a plan and said here's exactly what I will do," Clinton said, is that she wants to hear from voters what kind of plan they would favor.

"I want the ideas that people have," said Clinton. She said any health care plan must deal with the reality that there's a unique climate in the country.

"We are bigger and more diverse and people like their choice," said Clinton.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and 2004 Democratic runningmate, has said it's inevitable that taxes would have to go up to finance an expensive health care plan. Clinton disagreed.

"We've got to get the costs under control," said Clinton. "Why would we put more money into a dysfunctional system?"

Clinton sidestepped a question on whether she'd consider Vilsack as a potential runningmate should she win the nomination.

"I am a very big fan of Governor Vilsack," Clinton said, adding that he has "the kind of practical but visionary leadership we need in our country."

Vilsack was the first Democrat to formally enter the 2008 presidential race in November, but he dropped out last month citing the difficulty in raising the tens of millions of dollars necessary to mount a credible bid.

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at last edwards has his head screwed on right. nothing is free.

[William33 110]

I would much rather see a fix on Social Security and Medicare first.

Fix existing Government programs, before creating new ones.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I would much rather see a fix on Social Security and Medicare first.

Fix existing Government programs, before creating new ones.

Maybe a Universal Healthcare Program would be the fix for Medicare and Medicaid.

[Dan J 277]

I'm still trying to figure out where all the money goes. We spend way, way more than any other country on health care. Something like 13-15% of the GDP (Compared to 6-8% for most countries with socialized health care). Yet, we are unable to offer healthcare to everyone, nor do we have the best health care (We have some of the best medical institutions, but overall, not that great). The only thing we get for spending that much, is low or no waiting times.

So you can get health care when you want it, only if you can afford it.

Yes taxes would go under a socialized health care plan, but guess what? Health care premiums would go down or be non-existent. Most people don't realize what health care premiums really cost, since they are subsidized by their employer, but thats alot of money.

We still pay for our health care no matter what. The difference is that everyone pays for it, rather than just those who can afford the premiums. Which should bring down the individual cost. And it will probably be paid for as part of taxes rather than a separate payment to an HMO.

Socialized health care being more expensive is a myth. It doesn't have to be that way. All we have have to do is re-prioritize funding. Take it from advertising budgets and executive compensation and make the money work for providing actual health care.

[almaty 19]

bring the boys home..there is ample $$$ for all the services this country needs..instead of pissing billions a month over there...where is their effing oil at anyone to pay their costs?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The only thing we get for spending that much, is low or no waiting times.

Yeah, I guess if you consider 7-8 weeks waiting time for a simple filling at your local dentist to be low...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

A friend of our family had a mild (thankfully) stroke just before Christmas. He runs his own surveying business in LA County, and not having had insurance for some years is getting the rough end of the stick from the providers. Premiums for small businesses (at least in CA) seem to be higher than the subsidized costs for corporate employees. More than that, a number of the cholesterol / blood pressure lowering medications he’s been given are automatic red flags, and drive up (significantly) the cost of his quoted premiums. I've heard of this before - the companies do this to essentially price people out of coverage.

This is a guy who has never been sick in his life, and yet when he needs healthcare he is left twisting in the wind…

[Dan J 277]

The only thing we get for spending that much, is low or no waiting times.

Yeah, I guess if you consider 7-8 weeks waiting time for a simple filling at your local dentist to be low...

Well not everything here is quick, but overall, time between requesting health care and getting it here is faster than many other countries. You can still end up waiting months for a specialist or dentist appointment.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I would much rather see a fix on Social Security and Medicare first.

Fix existing Government programs, before creating new ones.

Maybe a Universal Healthcare Program would be the fix for Medicare and Medicaid.

I think so.

[JohnK 0]

I'm not much of a Hillary fan, but I do think if it's going to happen she'll be the one to do it.

I think it would cost LESS to have a national health care system than what we spend today. We could merge Medicare, Medicaid, government employee and veteren health care into the system. If we made the health coverage mandatory and everyone had to pay, like say, $75 per household member per month for coverage that would give us $22,500,000,000 (300,000,000 * 75) to start with plus whatever money is being spend on the other now obsolete programs. It seems to me that for that kind of money everyone could at least have some basic coverage. If the rich people want more/better/faster coverage they would be free to purchase additional add-on policies with their own money.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Her plan didn't work before and it won't work again.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If we made the health coverage mandatory and everyone had to pay, like say, $75 per household member per month for coverage that would give us $22,500,000,000 (300,000,000 * 75) to start with plus whatever money is being spend on the other now obsolete programs.

That would be one huge cut in cost. Between my employer and me, my hosehold of three spends far more than $225.00 / month for healthcare right now. My premiums alone are more than that and they are less than half of what is being contributed for my family. So, 75 bucks a pop, I'm on board.

[JohnK 0]

Her plan didn't work before and it won't work again.

Her plan was never given the chance to work.

[Nessa 23]

She's not gonna be president so IMO threads like this are worthless.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I doubt it will work because of the entrenched position of the insurance providers – certainly not without a radical shift in economic policy that will be perceived as stifling the free market. I think a fair few people still believe that the financial interests of those companies and their increasing bottom lines are synonymous with the interests of the general consumer.

Considering the claims that government needs to be reclaimed from the clutches of special interests - noone seems to step up to the challenge to take that on board. Likely because it would undermine the established system of government. The parties are ultimately out for themselves, and attacking the hand that feeds them will inevitably fail - at least it will fail in the hands of anyone except a true radical. In that regard I don't think HC fits that bill... at all...