(John Edwards suspended his race for the Democratic nomination on Jan. 30, following coming in third place in three contests, including his home state of South Carolina.)
You can't have universal health care for 47 million people who don't have coverage without finding a source of revenue. His plan: Businesses should be required to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance. New tax credits should be created, Medicaid and SCHIP should be expanded, insurance laws should be reformed and health care costs should be contained. Regional "health care markets" would be created to let every American share the bargaining power to buy an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans and cut costs for businesses offering insurance. Once those steps are taken, every American would be required to get insurance.
Edwards' campaign Web site: Health Care
Under the Edwards Plan:
Families without insurance will get coverage at an affordable price.
Families with insurance will pay less and get more security and choices.
Businesses and other employers will find it cheaper and easier to insure their workers.
The Edwards Plan achieves universal coverage by:
- Requiring businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance.
- Making insurance affordable by creating new tax credits, expanding Medicaid and SCHIP, reforming insurance laws, and taking innovative steps to contain health care costs.
- Creating regional "Health Care Markets" to let every American share the bargaining power to purchase an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans, and cut costs for businesses offering insurance.
- Once these steps have been taken, requiring all American residents to get insurance.
- Securing universal health care for every American will require the active involvement of millions of Americans.
YouTube.com: SEIU/CAP Health Care Forum
John Edwards speaks at the SEIU/CAP Health Care Forum in Las Vegas, Nev. on March 24, 2007.
— Las Vegas Sun new media managing editor Dave Toplikar contributed to this report.
