Bush, Kerry Health Care Proposals Lack Ambition, Not Realistic, Los Angeles Times Editorial States
During the debate Friday night, President Bush and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) likely will address health care, but it is "likely the debate will quickly mire itself in digressions" rather than addressing the real issues, the Los Angeles Times states in an editorial. Both candidates "have been advised to avoid talking about the real, complex woes afflicting the U.S. health care system," and "neither is proposing the kind of fundamental reforms the system needs," the editorial adds. The Times suggests that "someone [should] pose hard questions" to the candidates, such as:
- How would Bush pay for the tax credits he would offer to help people purchase health insurance?
- Is Kerry's plan to reduce employer health costs by 10% enough to counter companies' double-digit increases in employee health plan costs?
- Why are both candidates "advocating [health care] reforms far less ambitiously than any of [their] predecessors," even though "the problems have grown much worse?"
The editorial concludes, "Despite lofty talk from both candidates, neither is realistic about the funding. One can only hope the winner has a better plan to be unveiled after the election" (Los Angeles Times, 10/8). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.