2008 Election Center

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE: AAP Principles on Access

Basic Questions on Access to Care

Under the Candidates' Health Care Proposal:

1. Does every child receive quality health insurance?

2. Does the plan ensure adequate payment rates so that children can access care?

3. Does the plan include a comprehensive age appropriate benefits package?

4. Does the plan give families a choice of pediatric clinicians?

5. Is the benefit portable and would coverage be continuous?

* The plan would expand funding to improve the primary care provider and public health practitioner workforce, including loan repayments, improved reimbursement and training grants.

An in-depth look at the candidates' plans versus the AAP Access Principles

How do the presidential candidates' health care reform plans stack up to the AAP's Principles on Access? Read the comparison of the plans.

1. Every child must have quality health insurance.

• Obama—While not a Constitutional guarantee, Senator Obama's health care plan would mandate insurance coverage for children.
• McCain—Health care coverage—for children or adults—is not guaranteed under Senator McCain's health care plan.

2. Health insurance should be a right, regardless of income, for all children, pregnant women, their families, and ultimately all individuals.

• Obama—Health insurance is guaranteed as a right for all children within Senator Obama's health care plan.
• McCain—Health insurance is not guaranteed as a right within Senator McCain's health care plan.

3. All health insurance plans should have a comprehensive age appropriate benefits package such as that of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

• Obama—It is unclear under Senator Obama's current plan whether age appropriate benefits would be guaranteed. However, he proposes a Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan-style benefit program, as well as expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which do not necessarily provide age appropriate benefit packages for children.
• McCain—Senator McCain's health care plan does not guarantee an age appropriate benefits package.

4. All children should have access to primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, pediatric surgical specialists, pediatric mental and dental professionals, and hospitals with appropriate pediatric expertise.

• Obama—Senator Obama's health care plan guarantees this access.
• McCain—Senator McCain's health care plan does not guarantee this access.

5. All health plans should have payment rates that assure that children receive all recommended and needed services.

• Obama—Senator Obama's health plan does not guarantee payment rates that assure access to care, but he states that primary care providers would see "improved reimbursement" under his health care plan.
• McCain—Senator McCain's health care plan does not guarantee payments rates that assure access to care.

6. Health insurance should be fully portable and provide continuous coverage.

• Obama—Senator Obama's health plan guarantees portable and continuous coverage by giving all American's access to a "National Health Exchange" that they could enroll in at any time, regardless of illness or job status.
• McCain—Senator McCain's health care plan provides some guarantee for portability and continuity, allowing individuals to carry insurance from job to job and to purchase it across state lines.

7. Administrative aspects should be streamlined and simplified.

• Obama—There is some guarantee that administrative aspects would be streamlined and simplified.
• McCain—There is some guarantee that administrative aspects would be streamlined and simplified.

8. Families should have a choice of clinician(s).

• Obama—Senator Obama's health care plan does give families a choice of clinician(s).
• McCain—Senator McCain's health care plan does give families a choice of clinician(s).

9. Health plans should complement and coordinate with existing maternal and child health programs to ensure maximum health benefits to families.

• Obama—Senator Obama's health care plan does complement and coordinate with existing maternal and child health programs to ensure maximum health benefits to families.
• McCain—There is no guarantee that Senator McCain's health care plan will complement and coordinate with existing maternal and child health programs.