McCain tackles health care
Let’s hop that he handles it better than his major flip-flop on economic policy and stimulus…
The McCain campaign has two events centered around health care on the agenda today: A new TV ad on health care policy and an address by McCain in the PB country of Tampa, FL.
The speech was at 10 AM at the University of South Florida. JMac gave a lengthy and detailed - for him - look at where his mind is at regarding health care reform and driving down costs. He stressed better efficiency, touted benefits from a system based around preventative care and “health credits” for families, blasted unnamed proponents of “nationalized” health care - and left out any mention of Pres. Bush.
The speech may have been on health care, but this absence says a lot of where McCain’s direction will be in regard to association with the historically unpopular President. JMac refused to credit Bush with the creation of the Health Savings Accounts he so praised this morning. Will voters eventually catch on to this charade?
Speech excerpts below.
There are those who are convinced that the solution is to move closer to a nationalized health care system. They urge universal coverage, with all the tax increases, new mandates, and government regulation that come along with that idea. But in the end this will accomplish one thing only. We will replace the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of the current system with the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of a government monopoly. We’ll have all the problems, and more, of private health care — rigid rules, long waits and lack of choices, and risk degrading its great strengths and advantages including the innovation and life-saving technology that make American medicine the most advanced in the world.
The key to real reform is to restore control over our health-care system to the patients themselves. Right now, even those with access to health care often have no assurance that it is appropriate care. Too much of the system is built on getting paid just for providing services, regardless of whether those services are necessary or produce quality care and outcomes. American families should only pay for getting the right care: care that is intended to improve and safeguard their health.
The TV ad, entitled “Health Care Action,” has no mention of his Dem opponents or their “nationalized” goals. Instead, it again touts McCain’s own plan of improved accessibility and efficiency of care with a $5,000 family health care credit and preventative care. No attacks…
Script and video below.
Sphere: Related ContentJOHN MCCAIN: The problem with health care in America is not the quality of health care, it’s the availability and the affordability. And that has to do with the dramatic increase in the cost of health care.
Let’s give every American family a $5,000 refundable tax credit so that they can go out across state lines and get the insurance policy that suits them best.
I can characterize my approach on health care by choice and competition, affordability and availability.
We need community health centers. We need walk-in clinics. We understand that emergency room care is the most expensive in America.
There’s many, many solutions to this problem. I think we can address them. The fundamental problem is not the quality of health care; it’s the cost of health care. So health care must be made affordable and available.
I’m John McCain and I approve this message.
Filed under: Health Care, John McCain, The Blog
