Candidate Health Care Plans Analyzed(Kerry helps 27 m uninsured vs*'s 2. 5

Per Emory University health economist Kenneth E. Thorpe "President Bush's plans for expanding health care would provide coverage to fewer than 2.5 million uninsured Americans at a cost of $90 billion, a far more modest approach than Democrat John F. Kerry's $653 billion package that would insure 27 million people.", so Bush's Megan Haucksays the problem is not the uninsured, but is the rising cost of Health Ins. caused by malpractice laws!!!! - and not one quote from a Health insurance pricing Actuary who would say that malpractice is a small problem that has a small effect on premiums and on over all health care costs - but them the media does not have an obligation to correct Bush lies - do they?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5509-2004May5.html

Candidate Health Care Plans Analyzed
Kerry Proposal Much Bigger Than Bush's
By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 6, 2004; Page A08


President Bush's plans for expanding health care would provide coverage to fewer than 2.5 million uninsured Americans at a cost of $90 billion, a far more modest approach than Democrat John F. Kerry's $653 billion package that would insure 27 million people, according to an analysis released yesterday.<snip>

Nearly 44 million Americans -- or 16 percent of the population -- do not have health insurance. Some pay for medical care out of their own pockets, but many more receive emergency care only at hospitals, expenses that are passed on in the form of higher fees to insured individuals, employers and the government.

Kerry and Bush share some common ideas. Both support refundable tax credits for individuals who purchase their own health insurance. The two also propose opening up larger purchasing pools to individuals and small businesses to help take advantage of group discounts.

Under Thorpe's analysis, in 2008 Bush would spend about $3,800 for each new person covered, while Kerry would spend less than $3,200 per person. <snip>

Kerry's plans are more ambitious and targeted more directly at middle-income workers, Thorpe said. The Massachusetts senator would accomplish that in large measure by expanding a handful of government health programs such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, called CHIP.<snip>

over $700 per month for health insurance. I shudder to think what it will be next year when I turn 50

...due to a preexisting condidtion.

The last time I priced Blue Cross (the only plan locally that will insure me) was 6 years ago, and it was over $700/month for me alone, then.

Since I've been in that hell called "partially disabled," and I could only work part time, I decided my health would be better served if I paid that $700+ per month on food and shelter, rather than giving it to Blue Cross, which would pay only 80% of the bill after a $2000 deductible. Might as well go bankrupt for the full bill as for 20% of it, right?

The healthcare system I confront on a daily basis is worse than I would confront in Botswana, where everybody has the same lack due to lack of availability. I can't begin to tell you how angry I am that we spend so much on healthcare and have so little actually available to people who need it most.

Oh, and to pile insult onto injury, I am an RN who has been working without coverage for this long, not unusual, since nurses are the professional group most likely to be uninsured/underinsured.

I suppose I should be a good girl and just commit suicide quietly, leave the nice drug companies alone, and allow those HMO executives to continue to feed upon the misery of others in peace.

Nah.

we need to address the health care situation in our country. Stories like yours are the worst

I want health *care,* not health 'insurance.'

since he has the BEST plan. Can't put the other two out of the ballpark, can we? Can't play fair and tell it like it is, can we?