Obama Slowly Plans Health Care Proposal

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Obama Slowly Plans Health Care Proposal
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 5, 2007

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Illinois Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday he's moving cautiously to assemble a health care proposal to ensure he can build the political support needed to move the plan forward after he's elected.

Obama noted that in previous campaigns, presidential candidates have offered detailed proposals without building that political support, only to see the issue fade after the election....

Seeking to build that consensus, Obama held a health care discussion at an invitation-only meeting with more than 90 people at a community college in Mason City. The meeting was one of four public events Obama planned to hold Thursday in northern Iowa as the Democratic presidential candidate continued a three-day visit to the state....

***

Obama said if he was starting from zero, he would likely support a single-payer system, similar to the government-run program in Canada. But he's leery of taking such a step because the United States already has a complex and established system of employer-based health coverage.

He said that the country is already moving toward a government-based health system.

''The government is already covering half the people,'' said Obama, noting that Medicare, Medicaid and veterans health systems cover a vast number of Americans.

To build a political consensus for a new system, Obama said he'll hold a series of similar meetings to gauge public sentiment. He plans to offer a health care proposal in a couple months, he said....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Obama-Health-Care.html

[Connie_Corleone]

1. I for one am glad that he's putting a lot of serious thought behind this.

People criticized him because he didn't just whip out some half-assed plan for that health care forum a couple of weeks ago.

Obama is trying to come up with a plan that actually has a chance of being implemented.

[Benhurst]

2. SIngle payer is the only way to go. Period. NT

[sandnsea]

4. Tell France

#1 health system in the world. Public/private partnership. We do not have to have 100% single payer to cover all Americans.

[Benhurst]

5. The French system is the best. I just don't see our politicians

going that way and fear they would sell out before establishing a system based on the French model.

The insurance companies are so powerful here and their influence in Washington so corrupting, it's going to be next to impossible to negotiate with them.

In any event, I hope Obama takes a firmer stand with the insurance companies than he was willing to do with the banks. For a "progressive" to vote against a 30% cap on interest rates shows how hopeless the current situation is. Money rules all.

[sandnsea]

6. France has insurance

"However, more than 80 percent of French people have supplemental insurance, often provided by their employers...

"Indeed, private medical care in France is particularly active in treating more than 50% of surgeries and more than 60% of cancer cases. This unique combination of government financed medical care and private medical services produces a health care system that is open to all and provides the latest in medical technology and treatment..."

We have the model that works. Who will have the guts to say the word "French".

http://www.info-france-usa.org/atoz/health.asp

[Benhurst]

7. Double post.

:shrug:

[Benhurst]

8. Unfortunately our insurance companies are little more than

Ponzischemes.

Without a completely restructured insurance industry, there is little hope a plan based on the French model would work here.

Money rules. One might as well dream the military/industrial complex is going to be brought under control, short of a complete collapse of The World's Only Superpower.

[sandnsea]

3. He knows how to say things

I really like that he pointed out half the country is already covered by government plans. It kind of helps put it all in perspective. 40% of babies are born on Medicaid, maybe more now. I also like that he acknowledged there have been detailed proposals in the past, Kerry's was incredibly detailed and quite excellent. I think he made a mistake doing Kids First after the election, SCHIP has covered most kids. It's the unemployed and self-employed and under-employed who need help. I think building that public support is going to have to start there. But we'll see what Obama comes up with.