What Does Your Presidential Candidate Think About Health Care Reform?

With 47 million Americans who do not have health insurance, and with health insurance and health care rates rising well above the rates our income grows, it should not suprise anybody that health care reform is emerging as the top domestic issue in the presidential elections. However, even after all the speeches and debates, it is still not always easy to figure out exactly what the candidates plan to do.



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The Kaiser Network, a public health policy organization, now presents an open forum where candidates can be present their stands on this one issue. You can find a schedule of the candidates, and the video forum at the Presidential Health Forum. Some candidates have already conducted their webcast, and you can find them in the archive. Other candidates are scheduled to be broadcast, and you find that on the front page of the website too!

Only a couple of things are very clear to me. The health care crisis does not only affect the poor, but impacts the middle class too, especially those with health conditions that make it hard for them to find private health insurance when they do not have a group insurance plan. Those people who really need a health plan have a hard time gaining access! Even business owners are having a hard time with group health plan rates, and they have begun to step up and ask for some changes. So it is hard to see what part of American society does not have a problem with the current health insurance system.

Some Americans, those who obtain their heath insurance through a good group plan at work may not think they have a problem. However, I believe this is very short sighted. They have no idea how much their employer contributes to their health insurance plan, and they have no idea how long their current coverage will last. When Americans do become unemployed, and they need to pay for the COBRA plan, they are shocked. This is because they usually have to pay the full premium amount and not just the part of their health insurance premium they paid before.

I am a little cynical about the speed that any changes with a real impact will be handed down. For one thing, business owners, medical providers, and consumers all stand in different corners on the issue. I do have some ideas about attacking the really critical areas first, but none of the major players seem to want stand in the middle. They take their corner! But that is all the subject of a future article, so come back for more and add your relevant comments!

Meanwhile, if you are searching for affordable health insurance, be sure and compare insurance quotes with our fast, safe, and free online health insurance quote form!