(Elizabeth) Edwards stumps in Palm Beach for health care reform

[question everything]

PalmBeachDailyNews.com

Edwards stumps in Palm Beach for health care reform

By DAVID ROGERS
Daily News Staff Writer

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Elizabeth Edwards experienced long days and the intense glare of the national spotlight in 2007 and early 2008 while helping her husband, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, with his ultimately unsuccessful presidential bid. That fight was complicated by news during the campaign that she had a recurrence of breast cancer that has spread elsewhere in her body. She has called her condition treatable, but incurable.Today, Elizabeth Edwards continues her work as advocate for universal health care.

In an interview Sunday at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach before her keynote address at the American Friends of Hebrew University's seventh annual Leadership Educational Forum, the 59-year-old North Carolinian offered a blunt assessment of the country's attempts to reform the medical system.

"I think that we are looking too small at the problem, that we are sort of figuring out how to nibble around the edges," Edwards said. "What really needs to happen is a fairly substantial structural change."

Edwards, a former attorney, said the government should take over basic health care while leaving catastrophic care to the insurance companies. "That way we can be assured we have equality in our health care. We like to use the word 'equality' with respect to our country and then we don't actually practice it in ways that really matter, in education, health and other things like that," Edwards said. "But if we are willing to make a major structural change I think we can both provide that equality and do something substantial about costs. Because wider, early detection of conditions is going to be the thing that helps us get control of costs."

Covering a wider group of people would reduce the overall cost of health care, Edwards said. Relocating public health clinics to public schools would bring lower-cost preventive care to those who need it, she said. Employing the latest technology for record-keeping and diagnostic disease can also lower costs, said Edwards. She acknowledged that the deficit President-elect Obama is inheriting may delay meaningful health care reform.


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[AtomicKitten]

1. I wish Elizabeth Edwards nothing but the best.

She deserves so much better than what life has dished up.

Thanks for posting this. I am glad to hear she's still speaking up on an issue that is so close to her heart, and I hope Obama is listening.

[PresidentObama]

7. I believe you're right, she has no much passion to offer on this issue.

I really think she pushed John to have a strong universal healthcare plan when he ran. It was always her passion more than his.

When he's done hiding and starts rebuilding his reputation, I would love to see him on the frontlines of the issue of poverty.

The Edwards have so much to give. On healthcare and poverty.

[karynnj]

10. I'm not sure if that is true

In 2004, JRE had one of the least ambitious plans - covering just kids. In late February in one of the last primary debates, he called Kerry's plan to give access to everyone "too expensive". In her book, EE said that she did not know what the Kerry/Edwards healthcare plan was - she blamed the campaign for that - even though many of us easily found the plan on the web site. (I also found a great, more detailed explanation by Littlefield, Kerry's adviser.) Now, if this was "her passion", wouldn't she have asked to have the adviser go through the nuts and bolts of the plan - something none of us could do? Wouldn't she have at least read a summary - from the web site or any major newspaper? Wouldn't knowing the plan on a topic that was her passion have made her a better advocate?

I suspect that the reality was that her cancer was what made her the powerful advocate that she is now. I wished in 2007 and 2008, that the Edwards simply said that - it is a very compelling reason to change from the weakest of the 2004 pack to the strongest of the 2008 pack on the issue. (I hated an EE statement that they were for universal health care, before she had cancer. The limited way it was true was that technically, they supported Kerry's near universal service 2004 plan in the general election.)

[PresidentObama]

15. Ok, whether it's because of her cancer or not, the fact remains she's a powerful voice on this issue

And I'm glad she's speaking out.

That's all that matters.

[jwirr]

2. Good. I have always thought that she should continue her fight for

health care. She should work with Sen. Kennedy in getting it passed.

[jobycom]

3. Cool person, there. One might even say courageous, considering all

that life hit her with in the last couple of years.

[SuperTrouper]

12. Elizabeth Edwards is a very courageous woman. She has received a lot of

tough deals from life and still she is a sweet and genuine person, not a bit bitter about her destiny. She is admirable...

[DURHAM D]

4. "Edwards, a former attorney, said"

She is not a former attorney - she is an attorney. A**hole writer.

[question everything]

5. Right. Should have used a different term

oh well.

[MarjorieG]

6. The separating out of catastrophic was from 2004 campaign, and a great idea.

[karynnj]

9. Except she is proposing the opposite

In 2004, Kerry proposed that there be reinsurance of catastrophic costs, something Obama included in his plan - defined as costs greater than $50,000. These costs would be paid by a government created single payer pool. The idea was to make health insurance more affordable - especially for small businesses to provide to their employees. For a small business, having one employee have large expenses in a year currently causes the rate to sky rocket - causing many small businesses to drop healthcare as a benefit. Several large companies endorsed this idea as well. (What is interesting to me is that the reason this brings down total insurance costs is that the re-insurance which is over everybody is more efficient - no surprise, it is single payer. I wondered in 2004 if this could even be a backdoor way to single payer. If implemented and if it works as models suggest - then I would assume the next step would be to try to get more gains by lowering the threshold. Eventually, the policy before the reinsurance would almost be like the dental plans where they are really prepaid basic healthcare and the re-insurance would be what insurance originally was - something to pay high costs. )

EE is proposing that the government pay for the basic health care - leaving the insurance companies to pay the catastrophic costs. I think this would lead MORE people not to buy the insurance, because (especially for young people) there is a very high probability that it would give them nothing in a given year. Then, if they are unlucky enough to become seriously ill - they would go bankrupt and/or the hospital would have to eat the charges - passing those charges on to raise the costs for people paying.

I think the Kerry/Obama idea is more workable.

[MarjorieG]

13. My hit and runs a disservice. Thanks, always, for giving the good explanations.

[karynnj]

17. Not a disservice

It did lead to a discussion on what was said that otherwise would not have happened. (After thinking about it, I wonder if the reporter misunderstood and Edwards is favoring Kerry's idea.)

[flpoljunkie]

14. I don't think insurance companies would want to offer 'catastrophic' coverage either. Would be

unaffordable, I would think.

[karynnj]

16. I would imagine that it would be extremely expensive

if the only people who purchased it were people likely to have very high costs.

In fact, the more I think of it, I wonder if Edwards was proposing something like Kerry's, but the reporter misunderstood. (If not, she is calling for a HUGE increase in government spending to directly provide basic care. Is she speaking of expanding medicare/medicaid or government clinics?)

[flpoljunkie]

18. I would hope that you are right--that the reporter misunderstood her. Wouldn't be the first time.

[eridani]

8. "Wider group of people"?

Isn't the widest and cheapest group of people the WHOLE FUCKING POPULATION?!?!? HR 676 now! Everybody in! Nobody out!

Why in fucking hell should a deficit delay health care reform? It's the ONLY problem we have, bar none, that we can tackle without spending any more money than we are spending right now. We are already paying for universal health care; we just aren't GETING it.

[question everything]

11. This may be the best time to implement this

The reality is that most people who are covered by their employers like what they have... until they lose it or until the plan comes up empty when needed.

Perhaps now, with so many people losing their jobs and their health insurance, or realizing that they cannot pay for COBRA and getting an individual plan would be close to impossible since most of have some "pre existing" condition, perhaps now is the only time to have a real universal health care.

As for paying for this - well tax us! Instead of paying premium we pay with our taxes. After all, this is how we are paying for Medicare - more or less.

[eridani]

19. True--they like what they have because they know jackshit about how good it really is

Just like they don't really know one way or another if their local fire departments are any good.

This is the best time to go for the whole banana, for sure.

[genna]

20. You go WOMAN!

I am so glad she didn't slink off into a corner somewhere because her husband was/is an ass. It is one of the things I admire about HRC. I did want her to stand up and fight after BC's impeachment fiasco. I was excited when I heard she was going to run for the Senate.


I don't know how long Elizabeth Edwards has (nor do I know how long I have) but I want her to press on for the things which are REALLY important to her. Health care policy reform needs her voice.

[karynnj]

21. I hope that she will speak again on the need for regular testing for cancer

I know that there were many people, who after hearing her story realized that they had let many years lapse since their last "annual" test even though insurance would have paid for it. I know because I was one - and was lucky that the large number of missed tests would have all been negative. The fact that she spoke of her own doing this with the obvious consequences was a cautionary tale to all of us.

Then, there are the people who were not tested because they no insurance and the cost of the tests and exams made them decide to take the risk - maybe because they had no symptoms. Edwards is someone who can be a strong advocate for the basic unfairness of this AND the fact that the overall costs would be lower if everyone was tested and it was caught earlier.

I agree with you that both HRC or EE should not be defined by their husbands' transgressions.

[question everything]

22. Perhaps Daschle can use her as an ambassador of goodwill

or something.

Perhaps even talk to people who have lost their jobs this past year to get their awareness.

Yes, I am concerned about her, too. First, having that blow from her beloved husband cannot help. I have heard her talk on several occasions last year - on Colbert and being interviewed someplace and she sound hoarse.

[Justitia]

23. I think of her & wonder how she is, often. I'm so glad she is still advocating for us.

Elizabeth, you are one really remarkable woman - we miss you.

Thank you for all you do!