Elizabeth Edwards: McCain's Health Care Plan "Most Radical In My Lifetime"

Elizabeth Edwards continued, on Wednesday, to chip away at John McCain for a health care plan that she deemed "the most radical" she had seen in her 59-years on earth.

Though a Democratic partisan (Edwards now is a health care policy guru for the Center for American Progress), the wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards remains, arguably, one of the most influential female figures in the country. Her failure to endorse Barack Obama was viewed as a potential crack in the presumptive nominee's political coalition. But since the primaries have ended, Edwards has not been shy in showing where her sentiments lie. On Wednesday she said the following of McCain's health care proposal:

"Often Republicans try to skate by the issue of health care without putting out a plan...John McCain didn't do that. He completely breaks that mold. Not only does he have a plan, he has posed the most radical plan in this race, the most radical plan in my lifetime... It ignores what happens in people's lives, how the insurance industry has worked in the past and will work in the future, and it ignores other kinds of deregulations."

McCain and Edwards have butted heads on this issue before, most notably over the Arizona Republican's proposal to promote more coverage in the individual market. Edwards insist such a plan would put those with preexisting conditions at risk of losing their coverage, numbering some 56 million individuals. She also derided a provision in McCain's plan to eliminate tax break for employer-based health coverage and replace it with a tax credit for individuals and families -- something that CAP has contended would result, actually, in the raising of taxes for millions of families.

McCain, in response, has stressed that his proposal would save the government and health care purchasers money, and that its "comprehensive" nature would allow states to use some Medicaid funds to help subsidize insurance for those who either can't afford it or have poor health.

McCain "wouldn't simply say, 'Hey, here's a tax credit -- go have fun,'" said adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin.

Comments

[amoment]

Is it November, yet?

[stopbeingSMUG]

It would be preferable for every every American to have affordable health care insurance, however, it shouldn't be the responsibility of the gov't, any more than auto insurance should be a universal "right." Both are things individuals should be resposible for obtaining on their own. That's what it means to live in a free society.

Regardless, everyone in America does have universal access to health care. Federal law says, hospital emergency rooms are required to treat anybody, including the uninsured and illegal aliens...

[IRepTheKing]

That's not a fair comparison. If my car breaks down or dies, I can replace it. If I break down and die, it's a wrap. BIG DIFFERENCE.

[sharonh]

Right, what you say sounds okay but the reality is far different. Did you see the woman in a psychiatric hospital emergency room in Brooklyn who was there for 24 hours before dying on the floor and lying there unattended. People call 911 in the emergency room all the time. Our health care system is broken so badly that it needs something radical. Give it to us Obama. Make health care an issue and a priority.

[sharonh]

A truely free society would be one unencumbered by shoddy care and high costs associated with our current practice of letting insurers ruin our health care. Eventually even you will need it, and will certainly be singing a different song then. You cannot compare health care to auto insurance. You don't get it in so many ways.

[missette]

You miss the point. It's the responsible who are being burned. The stories are rampant and well-documented of people who bought insurance polices on the open market in good faith who are then denied coverage or have their policies rescinded because when something catastrophic happens, the insurance provider, for the first time, does an underwriting to find a way to deny coverage. There've been stories of people with, for example, brain tumors being denied coverage because they failed to reveal that years ago they'd had a yeast infection. They do sometimes sue and win, but only if they live long enough. Not all of them do. That's no insurance. That's just easy money.

[brooklyncitizen]

How naive you are.

The govt, specifically Nixon foisted these lame HMO's onto us. THe govt has foisted this unregulated insurance middleman that dictates whether we get tratment on not; live or not. COnsequently only the govt can undo this harm it's done.

[mamacat]

Thank you for speaking up Mrs. Edwards. We need important people who are also in the spotlight to speak up on matters of policy.

[lysistrata]

The government and health care purchasers would save money, that is all that counts, not health care for the people as far as McCain is concerned.

Given the choice, Republicans would rather die like the woman in the NY hospital than having SOCIALIZED health care. No care is better than what all other advanced and many not so advanced nations have.

We all know we are the greatest nation on earth, we have the best health care system in the world, the free market takes care. (a little sarcasm)

[stopbeingSMUG]

Even though there are many problems with our current managed care health care system, it is far superior to ANY other country in the world. Gov't run, Socialist-style health care has been a dismal failure everywhere it has been instituted.You forgetting higher cost, waiting times for treatment, QUALITY of care inferior and patient choice significantly reduced. Socialism leads to price controls, reduduced innovation and rationing. Canada must compete with other government programs for funding and is there dependent upon politicans and bereaucrats who determine the quantity and quality of the health care citizens receive. In other words- you are repeating a campaign sound-bite without looking at the facts.

[IRepTheKing]

Obviously, you didn't see Sicko. All those poorer countries having Universal Healthcare while we the RICHEST country don't. Hmmm. I really don't get your point. Of course if those other countries you speak of, had United States' wealth, they would have an even better healthcare system. We are just too greedy to push this through. Your tune would be different if you were sick.. and rejected care because you're sick.

[gba]

This is simply not true. Most EU Member states spend much less and have a better coverage, and in addition: don't the US health insurance companies have their stocks of bureaucrats

[sharonh]

Stop being so smug, your screen name says it all. You know not of what you speak. Everything you say is wrong.

[brooklyncitizen]

NO...you are repeating a campaign sound-bite without looking at the facts.

[hippynanainblingland]

stopbeingSMUG:

I guess you haven't seen "Sicko" yet. You ought to, it might enlighten you.

[mom2sons]

If you saw the woman who died in the "waiting room" the other day, you would know that we all better hope that nothing serious happens to us or..........that's why we need universal coverage!

[Gma11]

That was difficult to watch. But important to watch. How heartless . . . Those people should go to jail for at least a short period of time. That was criminal negligence. ESPECIALLLY in a hospital!

[benne]

This is as much to do about our attitudes toward the mentally ill than it is about our health care. They didn't care because she was just another (poor) crazy to them. Those who think that government plans can fix everything do need to remember that a number of groups from blacks to women to poor have a greater death rate when suffering a heart-attach (and other injuries) in part because the medical professional give them less attention. Universal healthcare (which I support) will only improve this in part.

[BobinKS]

It seems to me that I remember an announcement from Obama that Elizabeth Edwards had joined his campaign as an advisor on healthcare. Am I wrong?

[mcole]

you're right.

i was wondering myself why they failed to mention that, and instead kept talking up her "failure to endorse", as if elizabeth edwards has ever endorsed anyone.

[IRepTheKing]

The media talked that up, not the campaign. I know you didn't say the campaign talked it up. I just want that to be clear to the readers.

[truthynesslover]

MCCAIN--more war! fewer jobs ! less healthcare!yeah!!

[chrisbee]

Amazing woman!

[CalvinistHobbesian]

I want nothing more or less that what John McCain himself has, and has had his entire life, government funded health insurance. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for the rest of us.

[Knowbetter]

Hear Hear!

[happypup]

Very well said!

Obama has repeatedly said he wants everyone to have coverage as good as, or better than, what he gets as a US Senator!

[obamanation31]

I love her.

[rwe]

Oh , Elizabeth , maybe if ambulance chacers who have made it virtually impossible for the healthcare industry to be affordable were put on a probono system there would not be a healthcare crisis.Doctores are hard to come by in illinois thanks to the likes of say A JOHN EDWARDS and of course the corruption of the Illinois Dems.

[NotFooledByDistractions]

This is a crock. Do your research.

[Vernondelray]

Payouts and defense against frivolous or excessive malpractice lawsuits only accounts for 2 precent of insurance company expenditures, as of 2005.

[baznyc]

Wow, it kind of makes ya numb, imagining that someone would actually believe this.
Just goes to show what happens to a brain, when it's used for storage, rather than processing.

[Dane1911]

Obama needs her on teh campaign speaking to women.....

[adavis08]

These fake tax credits are only good for the people that files taxes, and have an income. Some people in the poorer socioeconomic strata don't have income to base a credit on. What about the? Oh yes the Republicans don't even know these people exist. When you need health insurance immediately you can't wait to receive a tax credit. Bogus!

[lotuslike]

Great points...thanks!

[BigLib]

Does being ill make her an expert on healthcare?

[gonavy]

"most influential female figures in the country." Are they serious with this fluff?

I really have nothing against the woman and I wish her well, but she IS NOT the most influential woman in the country.

[meanguy]

i doubt she's even the most influential woman in carolina

[Chillinout]

Read it again, it says: "one of the most influential woman in the country."

[Grunty1]

Crashing a plane makes Mc'Cain a military strategist, so why not?

[mikestg]

Bazing!

[hippynanainblingland]

Well, maybe crashing ONE plane does not a military strategist make, but certainly, crashing FIVE does. LOLOL

[clearthinker2008]

No, but maybe researching this crap for years does. I always love reading your post because while you seem unhappy you take the time to make me smile. :)

[ngannon]

Frankly that it a rotten thing to say. She is ill but I don't think that is why she is fighting for Universal Health care do you? Some people in her position might just say to heck with everyone else and just take care of herself. She is working tirelessly to try to help those who do not have the health benefits that she enjoys- or the health benefits that the tax payer provides for McCain. And she is doing this while fighting a horrible illness. It is obscene that we have such a horrible health care system. If you do not have money and you get sick you will not receive medical attention, or if you do it will be inadequate at best. If you have some money and you or your children get sick you will lose everything you have to try to pay medical bills and then will be in the above position. Only the wealthy do not have to worry about medical bills. This is wrong, criminal, sick, crazy ... I cannot comprehend why anyone would not support a comprehensive health care bill.

[SeriousBlack]

Does you posing an irrelevant question like that make any sense at all?

[freshnotbitter]

Anybody else notice that McCain always calls his plans "comprehensive" when there is nothing comprehensive about them?

People out there, whether they are politicians or not, don't realize what insurance companies do to people with "individual" plans. Basically they can just deny claims and what would an individual do? Hire a lawyer? Lawyers have told me that the ERISA laws written by congress are completely averse to individuals and consistently rule in favor of the corporations who add 25% to our medical bills for something that basically amounts to a simple accounting job. I saw a doctor yesterday who said I had received the wrong MRI and I had to explain to him that I got the MRI that the insurance company ordered, not my doctor. I have that in writing from my insurance company. And yet every time I listen to the Nazi Hour on Fox with Sean Hannity all I hear is how our system allows patients to make medical decisions with their doctors, and democrats want government to determine our health care.

What a crock.