New Studies: Obama Healthcare Plan Would Cover 34 Million Uninsured, McCain's Would Cover 5 Million

Barack Obama and John McCain are both proposing more than $100 billion a year in spending for health care, but the candidates' plans have vastly different goals, and vastly different outcomes.

New studies from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center and the policy journal Health Affairs suggest that Obama's proposal would eventually cover more than 34 million of the roughly 47 million Americans currently without insurance, while McCain's would cover at best 5 million uninsured.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[GerryT]

If the McCain/Palin/Republicans TAX OUR HEALTH CARE BENEFITS as part of our income as proposed by the lobbyist close to them, this will take an additional chunk out of my already dwindling salary.

My secondary concern is that now that this proposal has become a campaign issue - McSame is going to TALK and LIE about his position on this IMPORTANT matter also.

This vital issue has but one COLOR - GREEN!!

The welfare benefits needed to pay for the McSame/Palin WARS and the Bush/Republican Wall Street BAILOUT money has to come from somewhere.

With that I can NOW understand why paying (MY FAIR share of) TAXES is a patriotic duty.


http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/mccain_healthcare.cfm

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/mccains_health_care_tax_increa.html

[sandiegoconservative]

I guess commenting on how universal health care will not be successful will just not fly on this site. Most of the people on here have never been under the system, know someone in the system, or understand the system. And those that have been under the system, know someone, or understand it, only like to point to instances of success.

As I have mentioned before, my sister, who lives in France for 13 years now, just left the U.S. after a medical procedure. Her company agreed to provide a health care plan in the U.S. when she traveled for business.

To get the same procedure in France was next to impossible and it has taken nearly 1.5 years of waiting, and she was not even through the diagnostics, for this NECESSARY surgery. Her illness has affected her ability to work and to be social. So, she came to the U.S. and participated in the "evil" healthcare system where in 1.5 months she completed 3 diagnostic tests and had the procedure by a better trained, better competent doctor than she could ever wish for in France.

I am just glad to know that my company will probably offer a supplemental plan when universal healthcare hits here, so at least my family will get proper and prompt care while all the rest of you lemmings who believe in the system can wait months for basic treatment. I plan on buying that in a heartbeat. Enjoy!

[neocon666]

I honestly believe that a republican can be perswaded in into believing that water is the worst thing they could put on a fire while their house is burning down.

While I empathize with your sister's case, there 47 million people without any healthcare at all, and giving them a coupon won't help if they can't afford it to begin with (I myself was paying $1200 a month for private healthcare, and the coverage on an individal policy SUCKS). There are plenty of people in this country who DIE because they don't have healthcare or their provider won't pay for the life saving treatment they need. As I recommended to someone in another post, watch the movie SICKO, where Michael Moore actually tries to prove YOUR argument that universal healthcare in other countries doesn't work.

The republican party is for country, but against people.

[neocon666]

Correction: persuaded

[sandiegoconservative]

I'm not against anyone receiving healthcare, I am just against the proposal currently on the table because it will not work. Again, there's no convincing, so I am not going to try. I just happen to know someone close to me who is a perfect example of how the system fails people. I will wait until universal healthcare hits, and will do all I can to scrape enough money up to buy supplemental. And then I will wait for the complaints to begin on how that is not fair either.

[valleygent]

Utter nonsense above...the French get Carte Blanche health care from cradle to grave and it is superb.
My Brother and his family live there.

[sandiegoconservative]

I have been injured in France while visiting there and the health care system was terrible for me.

[valleygent]

McCain has a healthcare plan?? I DON'T THINK SO.

[SunshineDaydream]

sure he does - he wants it free for his family, but he want us to have a middle man profiting off of ours.

[neocon666]

Sure he does -just add "for the rich" after whatever he's proposing.

[jeffp26]

HERE'S GOOD NEWS. NOW THAT WE HAVE NATIONALIZED AIG, NATIONALIZING THE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE INDUSTRY SHOULD BE A SNAP!

Imagine: no more middle men making obscene profits by keeping people from receiving health care services.

[JAB20]

This is important information. We need to to help more people know it.

[WhatsLeft]

An op-ed piece in yesterday's NY Times by Mr. Herbert addressed McCain's plan. We who have employer provided health care would have to pay income taxes on that benefit. Then you get the credit. But McCain isn't going to raise taxes? Not true.

For those who cry "socialism" look what happened on Wall Street. Socialism for businesses that have been run into ruin. And one reason jobs go overseas? Universal Health Care. What do China, India, Canada, and Costa Rica have in common? Universal Health Care and these are three countries that have taken jobs from American workers.

Why is the Medicare Rx program so costly? The insurance industry has their greedy little paws in it. This plan would save millions in taxpayer money if the Social Security Administration ran it. They've done fine for over thirty years managing Medicare but suddenly they wouldn't be able to handle this new program. But then this program was a pork barrel project rammed through Congress by the Republicans. Just who are the Fat Cats McCain and Palin are talking about other than their supporters?

[ohiomark]

I would like someone to point out where in the Constitution it states that all Americans are entitled to FREE health care. If it is in there, who will pay for the FREE health care?

I would also like someone to point out how a giant bureacracy like the Federal Government, who can't keep Social Security solvent, or get water and ice to Houston will run a massive health care system without long waits and cuts in services and eventually "rationing" of health care.

It doesn't work in Canada or England, what makes you Libs think it will work here?

[Df7702]

you forgot to throw in socialism. Government can be effective if intellegent and competant people are running it .

[ohiomark]

This IS socialism, which has failed everywhere it has been tried.

[Momenta]

McCain has accepted government sponsored health care for his whole life, first being covered under his father, the admiral's policy, then as a naval officer, and then as a U.S. Senator. It's not socialism when it's his health care plan, just when the rest of us demand equal treatment.

[ohiomark]

Anyone who puts on a uniform from our armed forces and fights to defend our country should get health care for life.

[neocon666]

I honestly believe you can convince a republican that water is the worst thing you can put on a fire while their house is burning down.

This "show me where it is in the Constitution" drivel is the same logic used to try to justify not getting aid to the Katrina victims. At the risk of maggots coming out of your eyes, I defy you to rent the movie SICKO, in which Michael Moore does NOT attempt to argue for universal health care, but actually goes to Canada, England, and France, and tries to prove YOUR argument -that it doesn't work, and in the process shoots down all of the Fox News thought programming people like you regurgitate in the process, because it becomes very clear that it DOES.

The point is that it won't be FREE -it will be paid for by the taxpayers, which inclues many in the number who don't have health insurance now, or have inadequate coverage. And yes, it will be paid for with real money, not the "magic money" republicans believe pay for all military expenses, but a fraction of the $1 Trillion we're spending the liar George W. Bush's war (found those WMDs yet?) could easily pay for it.

I also think it's an absolute farce that Bush44, a.k.a. John McCain, is talking about being bi-partisan when it's clear that republicans have no tolerance for anyone who doesn't slurp their coolaid.

[neocon666]

The Social Security program IS solvent; the republicans who keep trying to say it isn't so they can privatize it (try to imagine what would have happened to those funds over the last 2 days). It also the incompetent republicans who are responsible for the failures of FEMA (which was known for their efficiency before George W. Bush appointed a horse trader to run the agency -"Heckuva job, Brownie!").

I wouldn't go to a doctor who hated, medicine, and I wouldn't take my car to a mechanic who hated cars, so why should people send republicans, who hate government, to Washington so they can dismantle it? The republican party had a stranglehold on all 3 branches of government for 6 out of 8 years, and not only have they destroyed theAmerican economy with their deregulations, but Bush43 has GROWN the size of government by 10 percent

And BTW, believing in no government is called ANARCHY, so why doesn't your party change it's name to reflect that?

.

[neocon666]

This is a mistake; I was responding to another post.

[Mangler]

It does work well in Canada and the UK. Of course there are problems, but both nations spend less per capita on health care and have far better health outcomes.

Universal medicine is also an expression of a society's values - that those suffering illness should not have to worry about money (or end up bankrupt) when they get sick. It should not be a profit-making endeavour.

All health care systems should be founded on providing the best health outcomes. The US does well for wealthy citizens but miserably for lower class and poor.

[ramal]

The only sane answer is universal healthcare for all with NO insurance company involvement what so ever.

[catinca]

And that would be a bad thing???

[BPCentrisAmerican]

McCain has a plan? I thougth he had a 5,000 tax credit, than your on your own.

[jamarib2mom]

I thank god for the democrats that were in place for what little health care we have today! I am currently on Medicaid for Pregnant woman. And my son is on medicaid for kids here in Ga. You do get to choose your doctor you do have a say when it comes to your health.
Mccain wants to say you wouldn't have a choice, I was working but like many jobs they don't provide insurance or maternity insurance at that. And if they do offer the premiums are so high and the deductions are crazy.
A lot of people look down on it but hay i feel like i am getting top of the line care and the health care providers are great ! What would America do without these programs I know a lot of people know have to turn to the same programs they looked down on. I mean why not have Obamas plan we pay taxes any way for it so why can't every American have the same benefit of health care for your self and kids.

[MB1East]

Once again, HuffPo points out some staggering facts that you just don't see the Dems pushing! Obama needs a simple basic ad that shows these independent studies showing his plan will cover 34,000,000 and McCain's 5,000,000. If you want health care, you vote Obama/Biden. The end.

[Bozwellian]

RIght on the mark, often wonder why the Dems are so LOUSY at marketing their positions (supposed have lots of talented sorts but obviously NOT as the GOPs far OUT market them with crap spins that have folks unable to distinguish up from down and etc...tis amazing, the Dems still lag in marketing area ..not JUST lag, are rather pathetic at it and thensome !!) McC's healthcare "plan' bundled with HIS claim in tax area is one example...His plan for healthcare..REMOVE the tax incentive from biz folks, TAX the employee who DOES get employer health care benfits --lump those in with taxable wage columns and then hand each famoy a $5000 tax rebate to go out and PURCHASE private healthcare...UH, have nay attempted to PRICE adequate private health insurance ? ANy find ANY that are actually AFFORDABLE or that COVER the family needs ? WHY do the Dems NOT put this out and about in LAYMAN SPEAK...do NOT LECTURE or do as PROFESSORS, speak in quick soundbytes that make it EASY to grasp on the fly...which is how a goodly number of folks take in info, PERTINENT info as well as NONSENSICAL info they use to make their own decisions in matters large and small!!

[DaOne]

I am amazed that so many people don't know he differences between the candidates on a host of issues. Voters need to educate themselves and stop voting based on who you'd want to have a beer with.

If you are concerned about health coverage and you are a middle class family, I don't know how you could vote for Mc Cain's health plan.

[Bozwellian]

don't know WHy any would vote the McC/P ticket if want actual security or economic safeguards "reinstated" even mininally...Can't fanthom how any truly thinking sort would vote McC/P ticket with P being one heartbeat away and not questoning WHO her puppetting her , pulling and yanking her strings and why John was so willing to sell his OWN soul out just for that CIC badge...He has not been abe to walk his claimed walk--and it is disgraceful to say the least. Was not an ardent admirer of his, certainly did NOT agree with many of his stances but thought HE held them more with conviction and proven he actually, most certainly does not and can NOT even articulate his reasonings or if so attempts get bungled and snarled in half truths and lies he tries to spin out in order to continue attempts to manipulate trust and empathy from the voters.

[clearthinker2008]

Obama's plan needs to cover ALL uninsured Americans. McCain's plan is not even worth discussion.

[MB1East]

At least it is a step in the right direction. Way better than McSame's. Besides, with our massive debt and borrowing all of our money from China, I think Obama will have a tough time getting everything done. He really needs to go through the entire federal budget, line by line, and cut excessive spending. We have a good decade ahead of us of digging out of this financial mess the Republicans have put us in.

[Shannon2008]

Was there any doubt? Someone just needs to get McCain to spell out his plans for education now.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

What a surprise, as someone who has worked in the healthcare industry I know for a fact that expecting the insurance companies to do the right thing is not going to happen. Not in this world.