Edwards Plan for Affordable Health Coverage Gains Momentum.

In the first Presidential debates by both the democratic and republican filed, it was apparent that second only to the war in Iraq, health insurance was of serious concern to voters and candidates alike.

And while all of the candidates expressed the need for health insurance reform, only John Edwards has put together an actual plan of how he would accomplish affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans. The plan has drawn considerable flak from the Republicans as being too similar to the failed Clinton plan of 1994, but it is starting to garner some serious attention by liberal and not so liberal voters.

Edwards’ plan mandates health insurance coverage for all by 2012. The main difference between Edwards’ idea and that of The Clinton's’, is that rather than immediately creating a Government subsidized single payer system, it is designed to set up what are called “Health Markets”. Consumers will be required to purchase insurance through these Health Markets. Within the markets consumers will have an option to purchase affordable health insurance policies from traditional insurance companies such as Blue Cross, Aetna, and Cigna, or a Government run plan such as would be created through the expansion of Medicaid beyond senior Americans.

Edwards’ plan has been devised to appeal to both consumers and businesses, because it is based on market driven forces. It does not eliminate participation of traditional insurance companies, but forces them to keep premiums competitive with the Government sponsored program. It is believed by Edwards’ and his supporters that this mix of private and public participation makes his plan a little harder to attack than earlier Universal Health Plans that called for the immediate creation of a single payer government entity.

Edwards is also the only candidate to put an actual dollar amount on his plan for affordable medical converge for all – 90 -120 billion dollars per year. He also says where he will get the money from; he intends to pay for it by repealing the Bush tax cuts on those earning over $200,000.00 per year.

With the devastating news of the return of his wife’s cancer, Edwards knows personally the importance of access to medical care, and the value of health insurance, without which he realizes Elizabeth would not be able to get the drugs and treatments she requires. It is for this reason more than any other that he seeks the nomination, and has put forth this plan for affordable medical coverage. In his words, “every American, man, woman, and child should get the same things we have.”