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 | |  | | Rekindling Reform Issues Policy Brief on the 2008 Election and Universal Health Care | May 27, 2008 A new policy brief reviews the major US presidential contenders' positions on health care reform, testing them against a set of six benchmarks for accessible, affordable health care for all. The review finds that none of the proposals addresses the basic obstacles to attaining affordable health care for all. Yet, it points out, while Senators Obama and Clinton support the idea that all citizens are entitled to affordable health care, Senator McCain rejects it, also proposing actions that would discourage employer health coverage. Noting that only the views the Democrats voice are consistent with the six benchmarks, the brief suggests that they can do better than the actual proposals they have made, and it urges them to do so.
The brief also anticipates that opponents of health system reform will argue, without merit, that the current economic crisis precludes reform.
These findings are reported in a policy brief issued today by Rekindling Reform, a New York area project that aims to stimulate debate on strategies for attaining affordable health care for all.
The review finds that the Democratic candidates, by ignoring the malign impact of the for-profit insurance industry and the real drivers of the surging costs of health care, offer no help to the under-insured and leave sustainably affordable coverage out of reach for most people.
Citing the radical changes in Medicare initiated by the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act, changes it asserts are undermining Medicare, the brief voices particular disappointment with the candidates for their inadequate attention to those changes and inadequate efforts to undo them.
The brief urges ongoing involvement in the election campaigns not only to promote better understanding of health reform issues but also to increase the likelihood that the winners will be responsive. It concludes with Rekindling Reform's promise to help, after the election, in organizing pressure for presidential leadership in the effort to win quality affordable health care for all.
Rekindling Reform has been a public presence in the New York City area since 2002. It is a not-for-profit joint project of health professional, academic, civic, labor, and advocacy organizations, and faith communities – now 72 in all. | |
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| |  Rekindling Reform: A Vision of Quality Health Care For All | Rekindling Reform is a non-profit joint project of 72 organizations in New York.
Our mission is to encourage debate and discussion on how our country can best provide affordable health care for all.
At the beginning of our work, we adopted six principles that are the bedrock of our vision as to how the American health care system should be reconstructed:
- Universal and equitable coverage for all.
- Comprehensive benefits and quality health care providing a full range of services effective in preventing illness and improving health.
- Affordable costs and equitable financing.
- Administrative simplicity and sensibly organized work.
- Accountability to the public that is to be served and to the service providers.
- A strong public health system.
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| Copyright (C) 2007. Rekindlign Reform. | |
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