2008 Election Center

THE CANDIDATES' HEALTH REFORM PLANS

The following are brief summaries of the presumed presidential candidates' health care reform plans. A link to each candidates' Web site, as well as groups providing independent analysis, is also provided below for more in-depth information.

 

John McCain
McCain's health care plan does not include a proposal for, or intend to achieve, universal health care coverage for adults or children. The plan seeks to expand access to health care through market-driven initiatives, including plans for increasing insurance choices for patients and encouraging personal responsibility. He calls for eliminating tax incentives for employers who provide insurance, instead shifting those credits to individuals and families for the purchase of individual health insurance. He does not propose structural changes to Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP), but would promote structural changes that encourage coordinated care and quality management of disease and prevention.

McCain's plan does not include a single-payer option

For more information, visit the McCain Campaign Web site.

Barack Obama
Obama's health care plan seeks to achieve universal, portable health care coverage by the end of his first presidential term. The proposal calls for health care coverage mandates for all children. His plan for achieving universal coverage includes expanding Medicaid and SCHIP eligibility; enabling individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable and comprehensive private health insurance similar to that of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) and creating a new public health plan similar to the FEHBP; and prohibiting insurers from denying coverage or charging more based on pre-existing conditions.

Obama's plan does not include a single-payer option.

For more information, visit the Obama Campaign Web site.

More Resources:

Kaiser Family Foundation
For a side-by-side comparison of the presidential candidates' health care plans, visit the Kaiser Family Foundation's health08.org Web site. They also provide analysis of broader health policy issues, regular public opinion surveys, news and video coverage from the campaign trail.

The Commonwealth Fund
A new Commonwealth Fund supplement outlines the problems facing our health system, as well as policy options to address them. The supplement, Health Policy Reform: The 2008 Elections and Beyond, draws on the work of The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System and other research as it addresses 10 key questions facing the nation.