Gaps in McCain's Health Plan
August 18, 2008
Come again? First of all, I am not sure I can bargain one-on-one with an insurance company. Second, the size of the tax credit would be a fixed amount, even though insurers can charge premiums up to 10 times higher for some people compared to others-for the exact same health insurance plan.
Presidential hopeful John McCain recently addressed the LIVESTRONG Summit in Columbus, Ohio, speaking supportive words about cancer research and the need for health care reform. His speech was nice enough, but will Senator McCain's plan really help people with cancer?
One of the major features of the McCain proposal is allowing individuals to use a tax credit to purchase their own private health coverage. This tax credit would be available if you buy coverage in the individual market. According to Senator McCain, free market competition and the individual market is the path to consumer control over choice of plans:
The health plan you choose would be as good as any that an employer could choose for you, or even better....
Come again? First of all, I am not sure I can bargain one-on-one with an insurance company. Second, the size of the tax credit would be a fixed amount, even though insurers can charge premiums up to 10 times higher for some people compared to others-for the exact same health insurance plan.
