Interesting article from Sunday's Washington Post. From the article:
Call it Obamacare or call it Clintoncare. But don't call it "socialized medicine."
And don't think that the health care systems that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have promised to put into effect if they get into the White House would be anything like the universal health coverage offered in Great Britain or Canada.
Last week, Sen. John McCain, the likely Republican nominee, described his challengers' health care plans as a "move closer to a nationalized health care system." But that's a stretch. To nationalize means to transfer ownership or control to the government. There's still a vast distance between what the Democratic candidates have proposed and nationalized health care.
Clinton and Obama aren't proposing government hospitals or government doctors. They want people to have health insurance, and they want people to be able to choose from a variety of policies. The menu would include private plans as well as an option similar to Medicare. Tax breaks would help lower- and middle-income people pay their monthly premiums.
Employers, except for small businesses, would also pay into the system if they don't offer coverage to their workers. Wealthier people would pay too because their taxes would go up. Both candidates have promised to discontinue income tax cuts passed in President Bush's first term for those households with incomes exceeding 0,000. The revenue generated would be used to help pay for more health coverage.
The biggest difference in the two candidates' plan is who would be required to get insurance. Clinton says everyone should be. Obama says only children must have coverage.
Such a system would continue the split system that the U.S. has when it comes to health coverage. The elderly, poor, disabled and many veterans would continue to get care paid for primarily by the government. Others would get coverage from private companies, usually through their employer, or through the Medicare-like option.
"Their approach is not taking any other country's system. It's building on what we have in the U.S," said Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, which conducts health research.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/11/AR2008051100954.html
Interesting. Thanks Lynn.Um....I live in Canada and we don't have any "government doctors".You're welcome :)
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com