Healthcare Reform Proposals by Senator Obama

"Every American has the right to affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage. My plan will ensure that all Americans have health care coverage through their employers, private health plans, the federal government, or the states. My plan builds on and improves our current insurance system, which most Americans continue to rely upon, and creates a new public health plan for those currently without coverage. Under my plan, Americans will be able to choose to maintain their current coverage if they choose to. For those without health insurance I will establish a new public insurance program, and provide subsides to afford care for those who need them. My plan includes a mandate that all children have health care coverage and I will expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs to help ensure we cover all kids. My plan requires all employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan. Under my plan a typical family will save $2,500 each year. We will realize tremendous savings within the health care system from improving efficiency and quality and reducing wasted expenditures system-wide. Specifically, these savings will result from investments in health information technology, improvements in prevention and management of chronic conditions, increased insurance industry competition and reduced industry overhead, the provision of federal reinsurance for catastrophic coverage, and reduced spending on uncompensated care." Barack Obama, Washington Post Interview

  Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama has proven himself to be a friend of working families in the United States with regards to health care. Senator Obama has been of the opinion that health care should be a right provided to all American citizens and he has proven this through his actions dating back to his time as an Illinois state Senator and later as a United States Senator. Under Senator Obama's health care plan the average working American family would save over $2,500 in health care expenses. Senator Obama has fought for Medicare in the Senate, voting for more funding towards Medicare and always voting against budget cuts that would remove money from the program. Medicare serves many Americans who require health care for their families but can't afford most health care programs. Senator Obama was a co-sponsor of the Medicare Informed Choice Act, which would have extended enrollment without penalty and allowed for a one-time plan change during the first year of the plan. This policy would make prescription medication more affordable for hard working families in the United States.

 

Medicare is not the only healthcare issue in which Senator Obama has fought for working families. Throughout his campaign for the presidency of the United States Senator Obama has laid out a health care plan that would guarantee eligibility for comprehensive benefits for anyone who sought health care. In the current health care system it is far too easy for a citizen's eligibility to be denied before they can even apply for some health care programs. Senator Obama also laid out in his health care plan for the United States a deductible and co-pay system for health care that would cut down costs for those who needed financial assistance but still require good, safe health care. Along with the idea of safe health care, the Illinois Senator has been fighting for improving the overall quality of health care throughout the country. He helped draft and introduce the National MEDiC Act, which promotes patient safety initiatives, including early disclosure and compensation to patients injured by medical errors. He also introduced the Hospital Quality Report Card Act, which will use federal hospital quality reporting requirements to inform and assist patients and other consumers in making their health care decisions.

Senator Obama is a firm believer in the idea that good health is crucial component to a child's successful start to life. This is why he has been a major proponent of the policy that health care must be mandatory for all children. The Senator's plan to make health care for children mandatory as well as the rest of his health care strategy are made possible through his plans to lower health care costs by modernizing the health care system in the United States. This will reduce costs of major illnesses, ensure providers deliver quality care, invest in electronic health information technology systems, and increase competition in the insurance and drug markets. All of these actions will bring major benefits to the working families of America who have been looking for safe, affordable health care for years.

Obama's plan will also create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan.  The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable. Once again, the benefits would be passed along to the working people of the United States.  

For more information on Obama's health care initiatives click on the following links or articles:

Link to Barack Obama's full health care plan

New York Times article comparing Obama and McCain policies side by side

CBS News article regarding Senator Obama's health care plan

AFL-CIO site that compares Obama and McCain policies side by side

Economic Policy Institute: Comparison of McCain and Obama's healthcare plans

Seattle Times Newspaper editorial endorsing Barack Obama and highlighting health care

Click to download the AFL-CIO's fact flier: Barack Obama, Healthcare for All

Click to view a comparison of the candidates healthplans from the AFL-CIO