Health Care Reform for America

In a change of heart that his detractors will undoubtedly use as evidence of wishy-washyness, President Barack Obama has let it be known that he is warming to the idea of a health insurance mandate for every American. During the presidential campaign, Obama's platform on health care reform did not embrace such a mandate, but in what can be considered a compromise for the greater good-namely getting health care reforms through Congress in a timely manner-the president is reconsidering his stance on the issue.

Health Care Reform: Requirement that Every American Have Health Insurance

Health care reform was one of the driving issues during the presidential campaigns, although it wasn't always apparent what the details of Obama's reform plan exactly were. His opponent in the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton, voiced support for the insurance-required-for-everyone mandate. At this point the president is tempering his acceptance of the mandate with a stipulation that there be a hardship waiver for those Americans too poor to buy insurance. The president also wants to be able to protect small businesses who could be detrimentally affected if all employers must contribute to employees' health care coverage.

The requirement for all Americans to have individual health insurance is closely modeled after that of the program the state of Massachusetts put into place three years ago.

Health Care Reform: Public Health Insurance Option

President Obama also strongly supports the idea that Americans can choose between a public health insurance option and private insurance. This idea is sure to bring strong debate in both the senate and house of representatives. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke June 3, 2009 on the issue, saying, "A government-run plan would set artificially-low prices that private insurers would have no way of competing with" (Associated Press, "Obama outlines health care plan for all," June 3, 2009).

Not surprisingly, private insurance companies oppose the public health insurance option also, and there is little doubt they will have a strong lobby in place.

Health Care Reform: The Costs

It is estimated that a public health insurance would cost $1.5 trillion in a ten-year span (Associated Press). At this time, the president has no plan to directly offset those costs, but has stated he is willing to decrease money to the Medicare and Medicaid programs over the next ten years by $200-300 billion-in addition to the over $300 billion Obama's ten-year budget streamlines from the Medicare program (Washington Post, "A move toward requiring health coverage," June 3, 2009).

Look for the single-largest lobby of private citizens-AARP--to be drafting their thoughts on the matter.

Health Care Reform: The Timeline

President Obama wants Congress to work on the issue of health care reform over the summer, each of the chambers working through the bill by "early August so that the two chambers can combine their bills in time for him to sign a single, sweeping measure in October" (Associated Press).

It's sure to be a long, hot summer in Washington, D.C., but hopefully to the benefit of every single American and their health care.

Sources: Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/03/AR2009060303395.html

Associated Press http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/

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