two health care questions:

i thought dennis kucinich had the best plan; a national, not for profit, single payer plan - medicare for everyone. covers everyone, cuts over 30% off of our health care expenditures, (that didn't go to health care anyway) easy to understand & efficient. a lot of people have told me "it'll never happen," or that the clinton, or edwards, or obama plans are some sort of gateway to single payer. okay, maybe so.
the questions i have for the candidates remaining are this:

1. if your plan is submitted & is rejected, will you pledge to resubmit an health care plan every year until you get one passed? does universal health care mean enough to you that you will actually push it, not propose something & forget it - "hey i tried" is not going to get it for a lot of folks.

2. you both know something about the sausage grinder that is the legislature. very seldom does a bill get submitted & come out looking like it did going in. how important are mandates, either way? is it a deal breaker? if president clinton proposed her health care plan & it came back looking like mr obama's, would you sign? same question for president obama, if the congress presented you with a national health care plan like mrs clinton's - with mandates - would you sign it?

the more important of the two questions, to me, is the first; do you understand the urgency of this issue & do you have the political will to make it happen? every presidential election the democratic nominee promises health care for every american & every time we've walked away empty. the issue is crucial. it's life & death.

•  Please capitalize. It makes it easier to read.

  by Wiffle on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 10:04:05 PM PDT

•  i'd actually like a pledge from both

  that the candidate that doesn't get the nomination will make national health care their priority in the senate.

  by rasbobbo on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 10:04:24 PM PDT

  •  These are good questions. n/t

    by hairspray on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 10:15:25 PM PDT

    •  thanks, i think these are actually more important

      than nit picking who's plan is superior.

      by rasbobbo on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 10:20:44 PM PDT

  •  Obama has already made it his priority;

    He mentions health care for everyone in every speech. Listen to him.

    He is planning open hearings --on c-span -- and keeps saying you are the change we need to make. In other words, if enough people are calling for it and if enough facts are put before the people, the best choices will occur.

    Do you want single payer? I'll tell you how to get it. Email me with your phone #. I am not good at writing things out.

    sam dobermann

    by samddobermann on Fri Feb 08, 2008 at 05:14:28 AM PDT

•  Well said, good questions

  I would like them answered also.

  by splashy on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 10:39:18 PM PDT

•  Pete Stark's bill

  BENEFITS: Adults receive Medicare Part A and B benefits; preventive services, substance abuse treatment, mental health parity; and prescription drug coverage equivalent to the BC/BS Standard Option in 2005. Children receive comprehensive benefits and Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) coverage with no cost-sharing.

  The cost of "substance abuse treatment" should be taken out of the DEA budget, not that of struggling young premium payers.

  COST SHARING: There is a $350 deductible for individuals, $500 for families, and 20% coinsurance. Total spending (premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance) is capped at out-of-pocket maximum of $2,500 individual/$4,000 family, or 5% of income for beneficiaries with income between 200% - 300% FPL and 7.5% of income for beneficiaries with income between 300% - 500% FPL. There is no cost sharing for children, pregnant women, low-income (below 200% FPL). Sliding scale subsidies are in place for cost-sharing for individuals between 200% and 300% FPL.

  by SingleVoter on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:23:15 PM PDT

•  obama can't even answer first question

  obama is not even proposing universal health care

  by wdking on Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 11:51:52 PM PDT

  •  okay, so for you, mandates are a deal breaker?

    you would not sign any health care legislation that did not provide criminal sanctions for people who did not have medical insurance?

    by rasbobbo on Fri Feb 08, 2008 at 12:03:11 AM PDT

  •  yes, he's not forcing us to get it - what an ass.

    by jj24 on Fri Feb 08, 2008 at 01:13:12 AM PDT

  •  he is not Mandating INSURANCE plans

    Insurance plans never cured anyone.  Hillary is all about mandated INSURANCE  plans. For the benefit of insurance companies.  The fed employees plans are private plans by the way.

    Clinton's mandated coverage will a) never pass and b) never work.  Look at the train wreck in MA now. They just gave a pass to over 20% from requiring coverage because the lowest cost plan is too expensive.  You going to garnish the wages that would pay for food and rent for a shitty policy you can't use because you don't have money for the deductible?

    Obama's plan focuses on cutting costs. Those parts can go ahead. Then hears can show that a single payer is the only sane way to go.  But we must have the boost in progressive legislators that Obama can bring then to get in enacted.

    Quit being doofus on details and look at big picture.

    by samddobermann on Fri Feb 08, 2008 at 05:30:07 AM PDT