The Romney Vision: Conservative, Market-Based Health Care Vs. Hillarycare

Friday, Aug 24, 2007

"[Gov. Romney] lambasted Democratic health care plans as 'knee-jerk, single-payer' policies run by the federal government. He said Republicans should fight back with 'free market' proposals. His own plan is a blend of tax incentives, creative financing to help the uninsured without raising taxes or federal spending, and a state-based system that would depend on governors to fix the country's health-care problems." (Steven Thomma, "Romney's Health Care Fix," McClatchy Newspapers, 8/24/07)

THE ROMNEY VISION: MARKET-BASED HEALTH CARE REFORM

Gov. Romney Supports Using The States As Laboratories Of Innovation:

Gov. Romney's Plan Emphasizes Individual State-By-State Health Care Reform, Not Universal Health Care. "Governor Romney's health care reform plan is a comprehensive solution to America's health care ills that expands access to affordable, portable, quality, private health insurance. But rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all, government-run system, Governor Romney's plan recognizes the importance of the role of the states in leading reform and the need for innovation in dealing with rising health care costs and the problem of the uninsured." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney Believes That A "One-Size-Fits-All" Approach To Health Care Reform Is Wrong. "But [Gov. Romney] will also aim to reassure conservatives by saying that a 'one size fits all' solution isn't right for the 50 states. As for why he would use a different philosophy as president than as governor, they say he would have greater powers in the White House. 'Massachusetts didn't have the federal tax code to play with,' said Glenn Hubbard, a former Bush administration chief economist, now advising the Romney campaign." (Mary Jacoby and Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney Does Not Believe In Government Mandates For Health Insurance. "In a speech before the Florida Medical Association in Hollywood, Fla., Mr. Romney will present a program that won't include new government mandates for individuals or companies to buy coverage, policies long considered anathema by many conservatives - and that were features of the program enacted in Massachusetts." (Mary Jacoby and Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

- Gov. Romney: "We'll Get All The Way There, But It's Not Through A Mandate ... If Some States Were Going To Drag Their Heels, I'm Not Going To Have The Federal Government Step In." (Steven Thomma, "Romney's Health Care Fix," McClatchy Newspapers, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney Supports Conservative, Market-Based Heath Care Reform:

Gov. Romney's Plan Will Decrease Costs By Expanding The Growth Of The Private Health Insurance Market. "Governor Romney believes that by expanding and deregulating the private health insurance market, we can decrease costs and ensure that more Americans have access to affordable, portable, quality, private health insurance." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney Focuses On Using Tax Breaks To Decrease Health Care Costs. "Instead, Mr. Romney plans to focus on tax breaks and streamlining regulations, policies his advisers say would essentially create a new, freer market for health insurance, driving down costs and providing incentives for individuals to buy their own plans. It is an approach President Bush and many Republican economists have embraced." (Mary Jacoby and Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

- Gov. Romney: "The Market Can Work To Solve Our Health Care Needs, And That's The Great, Exciting News." (MSNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Simi Valley, CA, 5/3/07)

Gov. Romney Successfully Passed Health Care Reform Legislation In Massachusetts:

Gov. Romney's Success Passing Health Care Reform In Massachusetts Sets An Example For Other States. "As Governor of Massachusetts, Governor Romney successfully led the effort for comprehensive health care reform, and he recognizes that the federal government must do what it can to facilitate effective change at the state level. His reforms will give states greater flexibility. But Governor Romney's conservative reforms also make the states true partners in the effort to expand access to affordable, quality health insurance." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney Worked With Republicans And Democrats To Pass Health Care Reform In Massachusetts. GOV. ROMNEY: "I'm delighted with the fact that we in our state worked together across the aisle, Republicans and Democrats, to find a way to get health care for all of our citizens that's affordable and that's portable. ... The Heritage Foundation worked on it with us. We had people on both sides of the aisle." (MSNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Simi Valley, CA, 5/3/07)

- Massachusetts Republicans And Democrats Passed Health Care Reform 191-2. "Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the bill Tuesday. The plan hailed as a national model would dramatically expand access to health care over the next three years. ... The House approved the bill on a 154-2 vote. The Senate endorsed it 37-0." (Steve LeBlanc, "Romney Set To Sign Bill To Require Health Insurance For All," The Associated Press, 4/5/06)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: "I WANT TO HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE."

Sen. Hillary Clinton Is Pushing Big Government-Run "Universal Health Care":

Sen. Clinton: "I've Set Big Goals For My Presidency. I Want To Have Universal Health Care ..." (ABC, Democrat Presidential Debate, Des Moines, IA, 8/19/07)

Sen. Clinton Said Passing Government-Run Universal Health Care Will Be One Of Her Top Priorities As President. SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: "Passage of a universal health coverage plan will be one of my top priorities as president. It is time for bold yet practical solutions and I will use today's encouraging news to continue my efforts to build support for universal health care." (Hillary For President, "Statement Of Hillary Clinton On Announcement Of The 'Better Health Care Together' Campaign," Press Release, 2/7/07)

Sen. Clinton Wants To Make Government-Run Universal Health Care "An American Value." SEN. CLINTON: "But more important, we have to have a sense of national commitment that universal health care is an American value." (CNN/YouTube, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Charleston, SC, 7/23/07)

Sen. Clinton Will Unveil Her Plan For Government-Run Universal Health Care In The Fall:

Sen. Clinton "Will Outline Her Plan For Universal Health Care Coverage Next Month." "Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton rolled out the second stage of her health care policy Thursday, promising to improve quality by raising standards for providers, educating patients and requiring insurers to reward innovation ... She started with a speech in June on reducing costs, followed by Thursday's address on quality, and will outline her plan for universal health care coverage next month." (Holly Ramer, "Step 2 Of Clinton Health Care Policy," The Associated Press, 8/23/07)

- Sen. Clinton: "My Order Here Is Deliberate. In Order To Forge A Consensus On Universal Health Care, We Need To Assure People That They Will Get The Quality They Expect At A Cost They Can Afford." (Holly Ramer, "Step 2 Of Clinton Health Care Policy," The Associated Press, 8/23/07)

FLASHBACK - Sen. Clinton Tried And Failed To Pass Socialized Medicine In The 1990s:

The Heritage Foundation: Today's "Universal Healthcare" Is Just A Rehash Of The Failed HillaryCare Of The Early 1990s. "But in the longer term, it's a just one more step on the road to 'HillaryCare' - the program of government-run, universal health-care that Americans rejected so decisively in the early Clinton years. The problem, as the Clinton plan foretold, is that eventually bureaucrats will decide which medical procedures are covered and which aren't, with patients forced to see a government-approved doctor instead of choosing their own, and health-care services rationed (again, by bureaucrats) to hold down costs." (The Heritage Foundation Website, www.heritage.org, Accessed 8/14/07)

USA Today: HillaryCare Was "The Biggest Policy Failure Of Bill Clinton's Presidency." "Wives can be crucial factors in presidential triumphs - and fiascos. The biggest policy failure of Bill Clinton's presidency, his health care reform plan, has been blamed in large part on Hillary Clinton, who headed the task force that drafted the proposal." (Editorial, "Behind The Scenes, First Ladies Are First Advisers," USA Today, 6/14/04)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: HillaryCare Is "Socialized Medicine." "'I have never advocated socialized medicine,' the former first lady replied. 'That has been a right-wing attack on me for 15 years.' Unfortunately, some of us still have copies of the 1,300-page proposed 'Health Security Act' crafted by Mrs. Clinton's secret committee in 1993. Under it, a patient who 'stepped out of line' and offered to pay cash for a doctor's services would have been subject to criminal penalties. ... That's socialized medicine." (Editorial, "Left-Wing Lies," Las Vegas Review-Journal, 8/13/07)

Columbia University Professor David Epstein: "Her Foray Into The Health Care Field Looked Like A Fiasco." '"At the time, of course, her foray into the health care field looked like a fiasco, not only for her husband's administration but for her future political aspirations,' said David Epstein, of professor of political science at Columbia University. 'She handled it without much political delicacy.'" (Sarah Liebowitz, "Clinton Cautious On Care," Concord New Hampshire Monitor, 7/10/07)

The Task Force For The Clintons' Failed Health Care Plan "Cost Taxpayers More Than $9 Million." "The task force staff swelled to 500, and eventually cost taxpayers more than $9 million." (Sarah Liebowitz, "Clinton Cautious On Care," Concord New Hampshire Monitor, 7/10/07)

HillaryCare Version 2.0 Will Likely Generate Bad Headlines Like These From The 1990s:

Business Week: "Hillary's Health-Care Team Needs An Injection Of Reality"

(Paul Craig Roberts, Op/Ed, "Hillary's Health-Care Team Needs An Injection Of Reality," Business Week, 5/10/93)

Chicago Tribune: "Hillary On Health Care: The Perils Of Arrogance"

(Stephen Chapman, Op/Ed, "Hillary On Health Care: The Perils Of Arrogance," Chicago Tribune, 5/30/93)

CNN: "Bill And Hillary Take Partisan Hard Line On Health Care"

(Wolf Blitzer, "Bill And Hillary Take Partisan Hard Line On Health Care," CNN, 8/10/94)

San Jose Mercury News: "Hillary Clinton Steps Down From Health Care Position"

("Hillary Clinton Steps Down From Health Care Position," San Jose Mercury News, 11/3/94)

Chicago Sun-Times: "Hillary 'Sorry' About Health Care"

(Michael Sneed "Hillary 'Sorry' About Health Care," Chicago Sun-Times, 1/10/95)