Senator Clinton claims her plan would expand healthcare "choices" for small business employees, consumers, and seniors. Her plan concedes that "small businesses face higher premiums due to limited purchasing power." Unfortunately, she continues to vote against legislation permitting small businesses to pool together for additional bargaining power. Her most recent plan denies small businesses this freedom, offering federal-benefit mandates instead.
Most regrettably, her plan assumes American consumers cannot be trusted to make choices about their personal healthcare decisions. It misleadingly claims adults who choose health savings accounts "are twice as likely to delay or avoid needed care."
Yet, research demonstrates these patients are more likely to receive diabetes care and screenings for cervical or prostate cancer. A Harvard Medical School study also found a reduction in emergency department visits among patients with these consumer-directed plans. According to a McKinsey study, patients with these plans manage their own healthcare savings and shop for quality and value: They’re more likely to get treatment for chronic conditions, improve their diet, exercise, and seek annual physicals. As one of their focus group respondents noted, "If I catch an issue early, I’ll save money in the long run." HillaryCare II ignores these findings and trusts bureaucrats to dictate patients’ private medical decisions.
Finally, Senator Clinton asserts she can pay for her plan through "balanced financing for health reform." Her plan proposes a $54 billion tax increase, but experts agree this would hardly be enough to pay for HillaryCare II. To raise this amount, she would "discontinue Bush tax cuts," even though they are already scheduled to expire in 2010. Economist Joe Antos of the American Enterprise Institute estimates the plan would cost a minimum of $1.7 trillion over ten years. He says, "I don’t care how hard you squeeze high-income people, you can’t get $1.7 trillion."
The former First Lady aims to "guarantee quality coverage," while "reducing costs," and "strengthening security." In fact, the plan limits patient access with artificial price controls and government rationing, forcing Americans to purchase insurance plans designed by Washington bureaucrats. This hardly guarantees quality, reduces cost or strengthens security for anyone.
This might be the right prescription to appease her liberal base, but HillaryCare II is far from the best prescription for America.