Posted on 07/31/2006 6:11:23 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Kerry proposes universal coverage by 2012
By GLEN JOHNSON, AP Political Writer 10 minutes ago
Sen. John Kerry on Monday will propose requiring all Americans to have health insurance by 2012, "with the federal government guaranteeing they have the means to afford it."
The Massachusetts Democrat, whose name is figuring prominently in 2008 White House speculation, will repeat his 2004 presidential campaign call for expanding the federal Medicaid program to cover children.
In a speech scheduled for midday Monday at Faneuil Hall in Boston, he will advocate creating a program to cover catastrophic cases so an employer providing insurance doesn't have to pass the cost to his other workers, and offering Americans the ability to buy into the same insurance program used by federal workers, such as members of Congress.
Kerry will propose to pay for the program by repealing tax cuts enacted during the Bush administration that benefit those earning over $200,000 annually. He is not expected to immediately elaborate on how he would get his insurance mandate enacted into law.
"One of my biggest regrets is that fear talk trumped the health care talk, and that we are less safe abroad and less healthy at home because of that," Kerry will say according to the prepared text of remarks he planned to deliver.
The senator already had delivered two other speeches at the Revolutionary War meeting house laying the ground work for a second presidential campaign.
Kerry also promoted his health care proposal in a Boston Globe op-ed piece published Monday morning, and during an appearance on Don Imus's nationally syndicated radio program.
In the text of his prepared speech, Kerry concedes that his health care proposal is virtually the same as one he outlined during his failed campaign for the White House in 2004.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Not only is the supply limited, but it would be even more limited under a gubmint run system. Not only more limited but more costly and lower quality too.
It's lose/lose/lose all the way around.
Unusual business, that -- in most businesses I am aware of, customers these days keep demanding lower prices, not offering higher ones. In fact, when there is a temporary supply problem it is common for a business to put customers on allocation instead of raising prices, lest they find alternatives and stick with them after the supply is fixed.
But to take your point -- OK, prices go up for the industry. That raises profits, thereby attracting more investment. If there is money to be made, people are VERY creative in figuring out how to tap into the motherlode. Hence the explosion in wasteful investment in health and education. People get MRIs for a hangnail.
Screw him! I want bigger tax cuts! Let the Heinz Company pay for it.
It won't work for the Democrats.
Great. Another ****ing goverment unfunded mandate. If you're a welfare leech, this means you get "free" healthcare. If you're a low-income worker, this means another mandatory bill to pay each month. THANKS, JOHN!
Suppose I don't want flipping health insurance, Mr. Stooopid Marxist Kerry! You bastard! Stay away from my pocket and leave me alone. God I hate the government.
Sorry for the rant; but I feel better now. (big sigh)
John Kerry is off his rocker.
I agree with that. A lot of problems that will be made worse by universal care, and the biggest supply problem is an inadequate supply of doctors.
You can always of course increase the amount of capital investment with MRIs and the like, but if you don't increase the labor input as well, you are not acting in an efficient manner.
And this really isn't anything new. It's been like this since I was a kid, and I'm almost 50. It's just been getting worse and worse because our politicians think that they know how to run this industry better than the market does.
When one changes the tax laws and increases the tax burden on the people, they are raising taxes plain and simple.
Kerry is a very liberal Democrat he will raise taxes, no surprise here.
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