Health Insurance For All?!?

Both democratic presidential candidates propose universal health coverage; however, they differ on ways to achieve it. This was made clear yesterday at the debate held here in Austin, Texas. The issue of health care is a topic that will be one of the deciding factors when you head over to the polls. The New York Times published an excellent article about this issue called, "2 Plans & Many Questions on the Uninsured".

Both presidential candidates agree that in order for universal health care to be successful, we must first make policies affordable for everyone. They believe that this can be achieved by putting at least $110 billion into subsidies and tax credits. Funds for this would be raised by rolling back President Bush’s tax cuts for high earners and by taxing businesses that do not insure their employees.

Here’s where they differ, Sen. Obama believes that he can insure all Americans by just enticing them with the low cost of premiums. Sen. Clinton believes that mandates are necessary for free riders who will not follow suit and enroll in programs as they should. Sen. Obama argues that the mandates could cause financial turmoil for middle-class families, while Sen. Clinton is adamant that Sen. Obama’s plan will leave 15 million Americans uninsured.

The article I read from Statesman.com reports that there are 47 million uninsured in the United States. The uninsured are called free riders. Many are presumed to be young and at little risk of major illness. I was surprised to learn how the cost of uncompensated care received by free riders is passed on to taxpayers. The privately insured also get hit with increases to premiums in an effort by hospitals and physicians to recoup their losses.

At this time the Massachusetts is the only state that mandates coverage. They find insurance to be affordable for anyone with a family income over three times the federal poverty level. For persons who show that the premiums would pose a financial hardship, they do offer exemptions from the mandate. They expect to offer 60,000 of these waivers this year. Like Sen. Clinton’s proposed mandate, Massachusetts did impose a penalty on the uninsured failing to enroll in a plan by the end of 2007. Only half of those people enrolled. According to the article, this penalty increased from $219 to $912 this year.

In closing, health insurance is definitely a sensitive subject. I am a mother of 2 young and at times very sick children. Co-pays and prescriptions are no laughing matter when you have no insurance and I have been there. Although I have private insurance now, I am happy to see this issue on the table. Uninsured persons cause a domino effect and I personally have seen increases in my premiums over the past 3 years. This issue will be on my mind as I stand in line to vote this year.