Kevin Drum on Clinton's Health Care Plan: "I think Hillary has outflanked (Obama.)

[wyldwolf]

I'm not a big fan of individual mandates and private insurance companies, but in the spirit of Atrios's advice to "stop wanking," I also understand that my preferences just aren't on the table right now. And I have to say that I agree with Ezra: although the three leading Democratic presidential candidates have proposed healthcare plans that are similar in a lot of ways, Hillary's strikes me as not just substantively as good as any of them (and better in some ways), but also the politically savviest and most practical of the lot. Given her experience in 1994 (she knows what won't work) combined with the legislative canniness she seems to have developed in the Senate (she know what will work), that's not too surprising.

In any case, it's a good plan. Edwards and Obama are going to have a very hard time making criticisms that stick. Obama, in particular, suffers because his plan is, if anything, a bit less ambitious than Hillary's even though he's supposed to be the candidate with fresh new ideas. For now, anyway, I think Hillary has outflanked him.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2007_09/012083.php

[Clintonista2]

1. I must admit, I am not surprised in any way, shape, or form.

Hillary is by far, the best candidate for the job. Her health care plan proves this.

[Mojorabbit]

3. I am a retired nurse

and I see a whole lot wrong with the plan but that is my opinion.

[Clintonista2]

5. Just out of curiousity

What makes Hillary's plan worse than Obama or Edwards' in your opinion?

[Mojorabbit]

6. I am not thrilled

with any of them but we have a small business. If we have to provide health insurance the tax credit has to be fairly healthy to help cover the extra cost. We run on a razor thin margin now.

Many families live from paycheck to paycheck and I am not talking esp low income people. You are adding another bill they may not be able to pay even with their tax credit. We are in the middle of a housing implosion right now which is supposed to take years to unwind. Food prices are up and it doesn't look like it is going to get better. Adding another bill to families is going to hurt.

Insurance companies will still be in the business as was seen in Sicko of denying claims. They are still in business to make a profit and when they can no longer cherry pick their customers will work harder for that profit for their stockholders at the expense of vulnerable sick people.

You are adding so much complication. More tax forms, more record keeping with all options. And off the top of my head, I don't think this will pay for itself esp when you are dealing with tax credits.
These are a few of my concerns so far.

I still need to read more of the plan esp about co pays, drug benefits, etc. and if the tax credits have this included or not.

[CTyankee]

2. What are the areas where HC's plan is better than JE's?

Not trying to be snarky here. I really want to know.

[rinsd]

4. I'm not sure but could Drum have been referring to Obama;s plan there?

"although the three leading Democratic presidential candidates have proposed healthcare plans that are similar in a lot of ways, Hillary's strikes me as not just substantively as good as any of them (and better in some ways), but also the politically savviest and most practical of the lot. Given her experience in 1994 (she knows what won't work) combined with the legislative canniness she seems to have developed in the Senate (she know what will work), that's not too surprising.

In any case, it's a good plan. Edwards and Obama are going to have a very hard time making criticisms that stick. Obama, in particular, suffers because his plan is, if anything, a bit less ambitious than Hillary's even though he's supposed to be the candidate with fresh new ideas. For now, anyway, I think Hillary has outflanked him."

He seems to be singling out Obama more than Edwards.

[ljm2002]

7. Interesting how this works...

...you've got the three front runners all proposing strikingly similar health care plans that are not universal health care. Then you get the pundits comparing the three plans, trying to work out for us which one is "best". They can spend all sorts of time discussing all of these details, and voila! They've managed to give no air time at all to the real solution, universal single payer health care financed by taxes. It's as if Kucinich's plan doesn't even exist. And the discussion has been fenced in to not even consider anything so "radical".

What is truly "radical" is a nation that uses its mighty powers for imperialist wars while allowing its citizens to languish in a system whose health care is one of the worst in the developed nations -- all the while instilling into us all that ours is the greatest nation (by definition, no more discussion necessary), with the greatest health care, not to mention the greatest everything!

They wrap it all up in nice words, claiming that we need the system we have now because it inspires "innovation". Didn you know that no other countries invent stuff, ever??? Betcha didn't know that!

[Trillo]

8. I've asked before and I'll ask again:

Where is HRCs health plan delineated? All I've seen is news and blogger items about it.

Got a link?

[Clintonista2]

9. Her website.