Obama's Healthcare Plan Versus Hilary's Healthcare Plan

If you have not been under a rock, thrown away your TV, not picked up a magazine, or have chopped your ears off-- chances are that you have heard about the debates going on between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton on their run for the Democratic nomination for presidency. If you've been watching you would have noticed that many of their plans seems very similar, however, one particular issue that keeps causing dissension between the two are the health care plans of each. So I have given you the one stop shop to find out the differences.

The problem is that currently there are over 45 million Americans who do not have health care. Of that large number 9 million or more are children.

I will start with Senator Obama: (So that Hilary is not upset again for having to "go first" again as she expressed in the Ohio debate)

Obama's Healthcare Plan

1. Senator Obama has a vision for a universal healthcare plan where every American will be covered.
2. For the Americans that are already insured, there will be no change except in the cost of premiums which Obama says will be less.
3. There will be guaranteed eligibility meaning that no one will be turned away because of pre-existing conditions or illness
4. Obama says that his plan will have comprehensive benefits which means the plan should cover all essential medical services: preventative, maternity and mental (These are plans similar to that of those offered to members of Congress)

5. People who do not qualify for programs such as Medicaid but still are in need of financial assistance will get an income related federal subsidy in order to buy into the new public plan or purchase some private insurance

6. The plans should be easily portable. This means that those who are participating in the new public plan will be able to change employment or jobs and not put health care coverage in jeopardy.

7. For those employers who either don't offer a large contribution to the cost of health coverage for employees or don't offer at all will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the cost of the national plan. Small employers meeting certain revenue criteria will not have to

8. Obama intends to lower costs of insurance by modernizing the US Health Care System: All of this will be done by reducing the cost of catastrophic illnesses; supporting disease management programs; requiring full transparency in quality and costs; requiring providers to report medical errors

9. Obama intends to fight for new initiatives by: supporting AMericans with Disabilities; fighting AIDS worldwide and advancing Biomedical Research

There is a host of other information to consider in the plan and I suggest you read it here: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/pdf/HealthCareFullPlan.pdf

Hilary's Health Care Plan

1. Senator Clinton also has a vision for universal health care.
2. Her plan will reduce cost and improve quality.
3. If you have a plan and like you, you don't have to change... however you can change and choose from plans that are offered to members of Congress, or you can opt out for the public plan.

4. Families that aren't able to afford it can get tax credits to help pay for it.
5.Hillary plans to give tax credits to small businesses that provide health care to workers to help lower coverage costs.
6. Insurance companies will not be able to drop you based on a risk model in the system

There is a host of other information to consider in the plan and I suggest you read it here: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/americanhealthchoicesplan.pdf

There are no major differences that I can see in the plans right off, but I am sure there are some small, yet important differences when you read the links provided.