Does McCain Want to Eliminate Employer-Provided Health Insurance?
Am I reading this summary of the candidates' health care plans (linked below) correctly? Because it sure looks like McCain’s health care plan basically eliminates employer-provided health care by "[r]emov[ing] the favorable tax treatment of employer-sponsored insurance."
In its place, the McCain plan gives people a pitifully inadequate tax credit for purchasing private insurance, and counts on the “free market” to make that private insurance affordable!
There are many other alarming aspects to McCain’s plan, including his promotion of clinics in retail outlets (you can see a discount doc at Wal-Mart!) and diagnosis-by-telephone, so it is definitely worth reading for yourself.
http://www.health08.org/sidebyside_results.cfm?c=5&c=16
If my reading is correct, how could the average American voter ever prefer McCain's plan?
Obama, unlike McCain, has a plan to provide access to affordable, high-quality health insurance for everyone. This isn’t “socialized medicine” or “government healthcare”–it’s just affordable health insurance for everyone from a mix of private and public sources. If you like the insurance you have now, you don’t have to change anything under Obama’s plan. But if you can’t afford decent insurance, or have a preexisting health condition that keeps you from getting insurance, or lose your job and your benefits, Obama’s plan will make sure that you still have insurance and can get the health care you need.
I hope this issue takes center stage once the energy debate wanes.
By the way, you can print a side-by-side comparison of the McCain and Obama health care plans from this .pdf link: http://www.health08.org/FINAL%202%20CANDIDATES%20Side-By-Side%20July%2022.pdf
If my reading is correct, how could the average American voter ever prefer McCain's plan?
Obama, unlike McCain, has a plan to provide access to affordable, high-quality health insurance for everyone. This isn’t “socialized medicine” or “government healthcare”–it’s just affordable health insurance for everyone from a mix of private and public sources. If you like the insurance you have now, you don’t have to change anything under Obama’s plan. But if you can’t afford decent insurance, or have a preexisting health condition that keeps you from getting insurance, or lose your job and your benefits, Obama’s plan will make sure that you still have insurance and can get the health care you need.
I hope this issue takes center stage once the energy debate wanes.
By the way, you can print a side-by-side comparison of the McCain and Obama health care plans from this .pdf link: http://www.health08.org/FINAL%202%20CANDIDATES%20Side-By-Side%20July%2022.pdf
Advertisement
The answer is yes, he is in favor or replacing the tax deduction for employer sponsored health care and replacing it with an individual tax credit. MOSt likely this would give employers a massive incentive to drop coverage. Many will, but not all. The reason employers offer health coverage is partly as an inducement fro their workers. It is part of compensation
I have no idea of the tax credit is adequate. There is no doubt they could give a high enough number to pay for a plan. What is most troubling is that employer sponsored plans are group plans and much more affordable than what would face a individual.
This is a case of shifting one more burden onto the individual (not just a financial burden but being able to make informed choices among a bewildering array of choices) when a group structure has many many benefits.
August 4, 2008 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink