Tens of millions of Americans lack health insurance. Extending coverage to them has been a core goal of health reform proposals since the 1960s. President Richard Nixon offered a universal health plan in his first administration, but since then Republicans have hesitated to commit the nation to so costly an undertaking. Is it time to rethink? Should Republicans accept universal coverage as a goal? We posed this question to NewMajority’s contributors.
Republicans should rally vocally for universal healthcare coverage – and then work hard to remove the tax and regulatory barriers that impinge on the market for private health insurance. Universal coverage can be a goal of public policy without being a federal program or mandate. Republicans should point out that regulations preventing insurance competition across state lines, and tax incentives that encourage coverage to be employer-based, have been roadblocks to the availability of insurance.
Many people already have federal health insurance through Medicare and Medicaid. But expanding such programs could only be done at massive fiscal cost, and with damaging effects to the private insurance market. Republicans should be champions of a private road to universal health care coverage.
To read other contributions to this symposium, click here.
3 responses so far
1 ottovbvs // Aug 22, 2009 at 7:11 pm
……..You guys are so funny…..it’s a goal not a policy……we’re all for motherhood and apple pie just so long as it doesn’t happen……basically you have no plan ……..reminds me of that FDR speech clip that’s out there where he pulls Republican’s chain about all the things they’re FOR…. how they’ll do all of them…… more of them….. and most important of all….. the doing of them won’t cost anyone anything at all! (Audience roars with laughter)
2 sinz54 // Aug 22, 2009 at 8:12 pm
ottovbs: The health care plan in the 2008 GOP Platform was claimed to reduce health care costs, provide patients with more choices, and protect freedom of conscience (i.e. the right not to subsidize abortions).
http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/HealthCare.htm
But as you can see from the Platform, the GOP has never claimed they could achieve universal coverage. It’s just not one of their goals. At least they’re being honest about it.
3 kensilber // Aug 23, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Ottovbvs,
What’s your plan for ensuring universal food security in America? Would you want a “public option” of food stamps on demand for people of whatever income? Should government compete with private farmers by running some collective farms? If those aren’t your views, does that mean you favor people going hungry?
Ken S.
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