Comments on: ‘Consumer Reports’ Analyzes Obama and McCain Health Plans

By: JSpencer

JSpencer — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:49:16 +0000

Consumers union blatantly liberal? DLS, you're losing your grip – again. Most of what they do has nothing whatsoever to do with politics. As for the health system in America, it's a pity the GOP went loony over Hillary's initial attempts to make it a priority when Bill first came into office – we wouldn't be dealing with it now.

By: DLS

DLS — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:15:34 +0000

Consumers Union is blatantly liberal and grown-ups need to filter it as a source, accordingly. The two plans are different enough that if health care is a principal basis for your vote this November, you have a clear distinction and choice ready. Obama's is fuzzy and insidious (partially a throwback to the Dems' stealth non-poor expansion of S-CHIP) while McCain's is gimmicky and presents readers with more questions than answers. (With inter-state purchases, what if other states refuse to provide the same coverage to people outside the states? Will the states be paid to provide this or is this an unfunded mandate? Is the tax credit, itself merely a gimmick, anywhere near enough to pay for health coverage? Et cetera. McCain can beat Obama on the issues — but not this issue. Who _supports_ McCain's plan?)

By: MJDaniels53

MJDaniels53 — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:17:43 +0000

GS:
When I wrote, “President Clinton had only modest success in getting his legislative initiatives through Congress during his eight years in office, giving up on some and, of course, watching his health care reform proposals come to grief,” I had reference to all of President Clinton's legislative agenda, not just his health care proposals. Of course, as you say, all six of the areas identified as concerns by persons surveyed by CU earlier this year were concerns back in 1993, as well.

Mark

By: MJDaniels53

MJDaniels53 — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:15:29 +0000

Steve:
I listed all three groups at which they looked.

In addition to those three specific case studies, there was also a table covering general information on six critical areas named by 80% of those surveyed in a March, 2008 poll by CU.

Mark

By: SteveK

SteveK — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:33:40 +0000

Mark – As no information on this report is available without membership to Consumer Report at the link you provided (or maybe I just missed it) could you complete your article by including the 'other' three groups looked at… That way we can get the full picture.

By: GeorgeSorwell

GeorgeSorwell — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:59:07 +0000

For a discussion of how the McCain insurance proposal will increase taxes and decrease coverage, read this.

By: GeorgeSorwell

GeorgeSorwell — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:47:08 +0000

President Clinton had only modest success in getting his legislative initiatives through Congress during his eight years in office, giving up on some and, of course, watching his health care reform proposals come to grief

That's putting it very, very mildly.

Those same six problems existed in 1993. Amount of progress since then: zero.

By: MJDaniels53

MJDaniels53 — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:23:44 +0000

The report makes no pretense of being authoritative. It simply took some real-life scenarios and ran the numbers as far as they could be run, given the vagueness of each camp's proposals. The general chart gives a good overall picture, but because it gives essentially six different answers based on six different areas of concern, it reaches no overarching conclusion about the competitors' proposals.

Mark

By: MaryL

MaryL — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:00:01 +0000

What about people who can't currently get insurance because of pre-existing conditions?

And I really have to see their entire report, because any advantage for McCain's plan has to assume some narrow scenarios, like a husband being happy to work to 69 instead of retiring at 65, or a "well-insured" family not losing or changing jobs -- ever.

Consumer Reports judged that the over-sixty couple would be better off under McCain’s plan if the husband continues to work until age 69, but better under Obama’s plan if the husband retires at 65. The thirty-something couple, assuming the wife doesn’t change jobs, would do better under McCain’s plan and experience no change under Obama’s. For the young single, presently uninsured, would be more able to afford insurance under McCain’s plan, but the magazine warns, “she should choose a plan with good coverage. Under the current system, the cheapest plans often have coverage gaps that could lead to high costs if she gets sick…”