Pace Paw Print

Media Credit: suntimes.com Barack shows his interest in health as he obtains health views from a different perspective.

Media Credit: lvrj.com Clinton campaigns about her American Choices Health Plan.

Currently there are tens of millions of people without health insurance or in danger of losing existing insurance in the country. This crisis does not appear to be getting any better; and as the presidential election is only a few short months away, what are the presidential candidates going to do to solve this issue?

Even though the presidential candidates have not been officially announced, the possible democratic candidates are Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Hillary Clinton plans to ensure that all Americans will be health insured. According to hillaryclinton.com, Clinton's official website, she will establish the American Health Choices Plan.

Through this plan, Clinton's goal is to make health insurance affordable, available, and reliable.

She plans on accomplishing these goals by offering new insurance coverage for those who are currently insured and uninsured. Clinton guarantees that new options and benefits will be as good as the benefits offered to members of Congress.

In addition, Clinton plans on lowering premiums and increasing security. To achieve lower premiums, hidden taxes will be removed from insurance plans. Prevention will also be used to help reduce arising health issues.

Increasing security makes certain that those who lose their jobs will not lose their insurance as a consequence. Losing a job should not mean that health is no longer a concern.

To further ensure the plan, Clinton wants insurance companies, drug companies, the government, providers, employers, and every day citizens to work collaboratively in finding a promising solution that all users can benefit from. In doing so, insurance companies cannot hold any preexisting conditions against clients; and drug companies must provide affordable and accurate information to insurance companies and customers.

Healthcare Providers will be expected to supply businesses, individuals, and others with affordable, high quality insurance. The government's job is to ensure that all individuals are insured without the cost being a burden to families.

While these are just a few methods of Clinton's American Health Choices Plan, they are similar to those of her opponent, Barack Obama.

Like Clinton, Obama plans to ensure that all Americans are insured. Obama identifies three main problems with health insurance how they need to be changed.

The minimal health insurance available is steadily declining. Under Obama's plan, everyone will have guaranteed eligibility, comprehensive benefits, and those who do not qualify for Medicaid (government assistant insurance), will have an income-related option of receiving a private health care plan or new public plan.

Another problem America is facing that Obama intends to change is the cost of health insurance. In the past six years, health insurance premiums rose four times faster than wages. To handle this crisis, Obama is planning on making premiums, co-pays, and deductibles more affordable. In addition, Obama will move health records into standards-based health electronic technology systems. This system will cost half the price of the system in effect today, which is storing medical records on paper.

Obama is willing to spend ten billion dollars a year for five years in order for this system to take effect. Not only will this lower costs, but it will ensure accuracy and quality of patient care, according to barackobama.com.

The third issue that Obama is concerned about is the awareness of health prevention and public health. One preventable epidemic is the rise of obesity. With prevention and public health, this rise can be eliminated or at least slowed down, which in turn will alleviate the obesity crisis and reduce the need for health insurance.

Both candidates, Clinton and Obama, generally want to see the same results for America: all Americans will be health insured. However, their approaches are somewhat different from each other.

To view more on each candidates position with health insurance visit hillaryclinton.com or barackobama.com.

Article Tools