Sen. Obama Falsely Attacks Hillary's Health Care Plan in New Mailer

[UALRBSofL]

In a new mailer, Sen. Obama falsely attacks Hillary:
The way Hillary Clinton's Health Care Plan Covers everyone is to have the government force uninsured people to buy insurance, even if they can't afford it, forcing those who cannot afford health insurance to buy it through mandates...punishing those who don't fall in line with "fines".


This is false. The only source the Obama campaign cites to support its argument, the Daily Iowan, is a college newspaper. Sen. Obama fails to mention Hillary's plan cuts costs just as aggressively as Sen. Obama, if not more so.

Under Hillary's plan everyone will have options and everyone will be able to afford health care.

Sen. Obama's plan actually increases costs in a different way because, unlike Hillary's plan, his plan does not include an individual mandate. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote:

Why have a mandate? The whole point of a universal health insurance system is that everyone pays in, even if they’re currently healthy, and in return everyone has insurance coverage if and when they need it. And it’s not just a matter of principle. As a practical matter, letting people opt out if they don’t feel like buying insurance would make insurance substantially more expensive for everyone else. Here’s why: under the Obama plan, as it now stands, healthy people could choose not to buy insurance — then sign up for it if they developed health problems later. Insurance companies couldn’t turn them away, because Mr. Obama’s plan, like those of his rivals, requires that insurers offer the same policy to everyone. As a result, people who did the right thing and bought insurance when they were healthy would end up subsidizing those who didn’t sign up for insurance until or unless they needed medical care.
In addition to raising costs, Sen. Obama's plan would also leave about 15 million uninsured.

[sunonmars]

1. clean campaign he was running was it, what a surprise, not

[redqueen]

3. Only if you're naive...

or feigning naivety.

[sandnsea]

2. Thank god it's about damn time

that is exactly true and the thing that will really kill her if she's nominated. Mandates after we know that the program is affordable is one thing, but putting in mandates and making people wait for tax time to get assistance is a recipe for disaster.

[rox63]

9. Mandates aren't working out so well here in Massachusetts

Lots of people here are still without coverage. And now they are penalized by getting fined at tax time.

[rinsd]

16. So Obama fining people under his mandated insurance for children is ok?

But Hillary telling people who can afford it they may not opt out is horrible?

Okey dokey :eyes:

[ThatPoetGuy]

12. I haven't studied Hillary's health care plan...

I was under the impression that she basically plagiarized Edwards' plan.

You make some pretty specific claims about how the mandates will be enforced. Edwards' plan didn't specify how the mandates would be enforced. I'm not being confrontational here (for once), I legitimately want to know -- has she specified how the mandates will be enforced? Where did you get the info that mandates will need to be paid in advance and only offset on tax day?

Obama's camp attacked Edwards' plan for its mandates, but they misrepresented the plan in order to make those attacks; Obama's people said that Edwards would enforce mandates the same way that states enforce mandates for car insurance, but the plan didn't actually commit to a method of enforcement, it could have been paid for like social security or unemployment taxes.

[rinsd]

17. Edwards & Hillary's plans are very similar.

Link to a thread with both Obama & Hillary's plan with links and info from their own websites

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4314312&mesg_id=4314312

[sandnsea]

20. Edwards actually implemented mandates later

AFTER all the other aspects of his plan had been implemented, mandates was a final step to bring in the stragglers. That's actually the same position as Obama, he's just not stupid enough to present a mandated plan and scare the pee out of voters.

"Working families will receive a refundable tax credit to help them afford high-quality health coverage."

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/summary.aspx

I also think Obama's people asked what the mechanism would be to enforce the mandates, because without an enforcement mechanism, there's no real mandate.

[RaleighNCDUer]

24. Mandates really could work.

After all, mandated car insurance is enforced by the government not allowing the uninsured to drive.

With mandated health insurance it will be enforced by the government not allowing the uninsured to get sick.

Voila! Instant health!

[rodeodance]

4. OK--HILL supporters--put this in all emails you know--pass it around get buzy now please.

[rodeodance]

5. REC

[rinsd]

6. Link to thread about both plans

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4314312&mesg_id=4314312

[KittyWampus]

7. you left off the link to Hillaryhub.

[rinsd]

8. I don't see you complaining when people link to Obama's "fact check" site.

Or is it your contention that Paul Krugman did not say that?

[gaiilonfong]

14. And Taylor Marsh's cesspool site

AKA as Craig Crawfords heffa girlfriend.

[OKNancy]

10. Hillary's plan is far better than any left in the race

It does provide for low or free healthcare insurance through a GOVERNMENT program. People of any level can chose to be in the GOVERNMENT progrma too.

I suggest people read her proposals before spouting off like they know what's in it.
Her plan is what made me choose her ( that and the attacks here on DU )

[sandnsea]

15. Obama's provides a PUBLIC program too

and assistance for being in the public program. My state program, that covers those with pre-existing conditions, is $1,000 a month for me and my husband. Government program does not mean CHEAP. That's a huge misconception. No mandates until the details are worked out and we know people will not be choosing between premiums and food.

Her plan SUCKS if you're one of the uninsured who knows you're uninsured because insurance is just too expensive.

[OKNancy]

18. I'm uninsured and from my studies

hers is the best for me.
First, my husband's employer will have to provide it.
I could also provide it for my employees with the subsidies.

But she could offer free healthcare for all and you would still say she sucked.

[sandnsea]

21. There's no such thing as free health care

and so if she said there was, yes I'd say she sucked, because she would.

I hope you can afford to provide your employees health insurance each month and wait for tax time for your 'subsidy', because that's her plan. Kind of like the Clinton college tax credits that haven't seriously helped anybody go to school either.

"Employers: will help financing the system; large employers will be expected to provide health insurance or contribute to the cost of coverage: small businesses will receive a tax credit to continue or begin to offer coverage."

[ingac70]

11. Anyone not proposing single payer...

universal coverage is just whoring for the insurance companies.

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

13. Obama is only loosely affiliated with the truth, he lies with media's blessing!

[GoldieAZ49]

19. I will not vote for individual MANDATES

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Campaign08/Campaign08/tb/6712

Clinton's "American Health Choices Plan" which she said would cost $110 billion a year, features an individual mandate, requiring everyone to have insurance. She likened it to state laws mandating that drivers purchase auto insurance.


Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., whose plan calls for employer but not individual mandates, said Clinton's plan is similar to his, but that his would "go further in reducing the punishing cost of health care than any other proposal that's been offered in this campaign."

[rinsd]

22. So you;re voting against Obama? Whose plan has mandates for children?

[GoldieAZ49]

25. Voting for Obama

Children need to be protected with health insurance

[rinsd]

26. So how is Obama's mandate any less of a burden?

I mean that is the point of struggling with the mandate isn't it?

Why should healthy people who can afford to pay insurance opt out and not bother?

You do know that Hillary's plan caps premiums according to family income right?

[in_cog_ni_to]

23. All his lies will come back to haunt him. It's only a matter of time. n/t

[eridani]

27. Just for the record, both of them suck on health care

Single payer now! Everybody in! Nobody Out! What's hard about that?