Statement by Senator Hillary Clinton on John McCain's Health Care Proposals

4/29/2008 -- Today, Senator McCain announced new details to his health care plan that do little to make up for the fundamental flaws in his approach to health care.

Senator Hillary Clinton issued the following statement:

Hillary Clinton campaign sign: Photo by Mark Welker (CC)

"John McCain is proposing a radical plan that would mean millions of Americans would lose their job-based coverage: The McCain plan eliminates the policies that hold the employer-based health insurance system together, so while people might have a ‘choice’ of getting such coverage , employers would have no incentive to provide it. This means 158 million Americans with job-based coverage today could be at risk of losing the insurance they have come to depend upon.

"While Senator McCain touts the choices his plan offers, people who are older or sicker would actually have no choice under his new proposals. Older Americans or those with pre-existing conditions would be allowed to get only one type of coverage in a high risk GAP pool. That kind of arrangement does more to help insurers than individuals. In addition, high-risk pools fall far short of helping people in need. Virtually all high-risk pools today have waiting lists, high premiums, and scaled-back benefits. The millions of vulnerable Americans who lose employer-based coverage could have to wait months, maybe years, to access the GAP high-risk pools, if they are like the pools that exist today.

To top it off, Senator McCain has offered no straight talk on how he would pay for these initiatives."

"I am proud of the fact that I'm the only candidate in this race who has a health care plan that ensures quality, affordable coverage for all Americans. It is the right thing to do, but it is also the best way to lower costs for all Americans. It is past time that America address the health care crisis - not offer bandaids, or radical plans that undermine people's coverage - but real solutions. And that is what I will do as President."

Source: Hillary Clinton campaign

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