Teresa Heinz Kerry Details Health Care Proposals in Colorado

Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (Mass.), on Friday in Colorado led a crowd of more than 500 supporters "through detailed, numbers-heavy explanations" of the Democratic ticket's health care plan, the Denver Rocky Mountain News reports (Florio, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 9/25). Health care "took center stage" in Heinz Kerry's speech, as she told the audience that her husband's plan would expand access to health coverage and focus on wellness and prevention, the Denver Post reports. She said that Kerry's plan would provide health insurance to every child, according to the Post. "We've got to wake up. If we don't have a healthy country and healthy children and educated children and safe streets and hope for the future, there is no reason for anyone to fight for us," Heinz Kerry said. She added, "No one is asking for a handout. All we are asking for is an opportunity and a fair shake. Health is integral" (Aguilera, Denver Post, 9/25).

Several newspapers recently looked at the health care plans proposed by Kerry and President Bush, as well as their history and current positions on medical malpractice reform. The articles are listed below.

• AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch: Bush and Kerry's proposed domestic initiatives focus on "starkly different economic priorities," but both would increase the federal deficit by at least $1.2 trillion through 2014, according to a study released by the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan group that advocates balanced budgets, the AP/Times-Dispatch reports (AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch, 9/25).
  
  
• Dallas Morning News: Both of the candidates' "vastly different" plans for health care and other issues "largely ignore the budget crunch the next president will face," relying on "optimistic projections" of costs and economic growth, the Morning News reports (Jackson, Dallas Morning News, 9/24).
  
  
• Orlando Sentinel: Although the candidates in recent weeks have "stepped up criticisms" of each other's health care plans, health policy experts say that whoever wins the election will face "an obstacle" in trying to enact plans with "big price tags" (Shelton, Orlando Sentinel, 9/26).
  
  
• Washington Times: Although both candidates during their careers have supported medical malpractice reform "to varying degrees," neither Bush nor Kerry "has managed to follow through on any such reforms," the Times reports (Hurt, Washington Times, 9/27).

USA Today on Monday looked at reactions from a group of Ohio voters to 15 ads the candidates have aired in the state, including ads addressing health care issues. Using its "Ad Meter" technology to rate mostly undecided voters' responses, USA Today found that a Bush ad attacking Kerry's health care plan ranked sixth out of 15, while Kerry ads refuting Bush's charges on the Democrat's plan and attacking the president's Medicare reforms ranked ninth and 12th respectively. A Bush ad criticizing Kerry's position on abortion-related issues scored lowest in the study, which included responses from 35 Columbus-area registered voters (Memmott, USA Today, 9/27).