Paul Krugman (NYT): Medical Class Warfare

[Dudley_DUright]

If past patterns are any guide, about one in three Americans will go without health insurance for some part of the next two years. They won't, for the most part, be the persistently poor, who are usually covered by Medicaid. They will be members of working families with breadwinners who have jobs without medical benefits or who have been laid off.

Many Americans fear the loss of health insurance. Last week I described John Kerry's health plan. What's the Bush administration's plan?

First, it offers a tax credit for low- and middle-income families who don't have health coverage through employers. That credit helps them purchase health insurance. The credit would be $3,000 for a family of four with an income of $25,000; for an income of $40,000, it would fall to $1,714. Last year the average premium for families of four covered by employers was more than $9,000.

A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the tax credit would reduce the number of uninsured, 44 million people in 2002, by 1.8 million. So it wouldn't help a great majority of families unable to afford insurance. For comparison, an independent assessment of the Kerry plan by Kenneth Thorpe of Emory University says that it would reduce the number of uninsured by 26.7 million.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/16/opinion/16KRUG.html?hp

[mhr]

1. Unemployed Four Years - No Health Care Here

eom

[dweller]

2. i agree w/ PK

"I don't see how Mr. Bush can win this debate."

dp

[The Zanti Regent]

3. Republican Health Care? Pay for Pray!

If the GOP has their way, all you have to do is give money to Pat Robertson and he will pray for you. Who needs medicine when Pat has a direct line to de Lawd?