http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:
It’s no secret that the health care system in this country is a mess. Right now, there are almost fifty million people who have no health insurance at all and the costs of health care keep rising. A new study out this week even showed that seven percent of Americans were willing to get married just so they could get their spouse’s health care benefits.
Now, on the campaign trail, each of the three presidential candidates is telling us that his or her plan offers the best solution to the problem.
Both Democratic candidates want to move toward universal health care coverage. Hillary Clinton, who tried to tackle health care in 1992 and failed, is proposing an individual mandate requiring all Americans to sign up for health insurance. Obama doesn’t go quite that far, but his plan requires coverage for all children. Both democrats’ plans build on the current employer-based system and impose new regulations on insurers. The Republican, John McCain, says these ideas are “inefficient” and “irrational.” He is opposed to mandates and direct regulation. Instead, he favors using tax credits to draw workers away from company health plans. He says that would allow people to find cheaper insurance on their own, more tailored to their individual needs. This proposal was similar to one proposed by President Bush last year which flopped in Congress, failing to get even a committee hearing.
One other item not being talked about by any of the candidates is this: The current government health care plan, Medicare, represents tens of trillions of dollars in unfunded liability.
Here’s my question to you: How optimistic are you about the future of our health care system?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
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