Letter To Editor, Editorial Address Presidential Candidate Sen. Obama's Health Care Proposal

Two newspapers recently published a letter to the editor and an editorial related to presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) health care proposal. Summaries appear below.
Barack Obama, Boston Globe: A recent Boston Globe editorial, which "stated that my universal health care plan would not cover everyone," is "simply inaccurate," Obama writes in a Globe letter to the editor. Obama writes, "Under my plan, the uninsured can buy health care similar to what federal employees have," no one "would be denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions or illnesses," children would be covered, low-income individuals would receive subsidies, and those who change jobs would carry their health insurance with them. However, according to Obama, a "truly universal plan ... must take unprecedented steps to address the skyrocketing cost of health care." He writes, "If we require people to purchase insurance before we bring down its cost, we'll make a bad problem worse." He notes that his plan would reduce "the cost of every family's premiums by up to $2,500." Obama concludes, "If we want to cover everyone, we must cut costs for everyone" (Obama, Boston Globe, 6/5).

Washington Times: Because Obama's "name adorns no important legislation, the notion that he can reform health care 'very quickly' is self-serving cynicism," according to a Times editorial. "In fact, he cannot even keep his overpromises straight from one week to the next," the editorial says, noting that last week, Obama said his plan would reduce costs and save the average family up to $2,500 each year. During Sunday's presidential candidate debate, he said the plan would save families with insurance about $1,000 annually. According to the Times, while Obama "understands that health care costs are exorbitant," his plan "does not seem to comprehend that the average annual health insurance premium for a family now costs more than $12,000, with employers paying about three-quarters of the cost." The editorial questions how Obama's plan guarantees "affordability" and notes that his plan makes "no estimate of the level of employer contribution -- other than it must be 'meaningful'" (Washington Times, 6/5).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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