Romney Campaign Press Release - Hillarycare 2.0 vs. Market-Based Health Care Reform

Sen. Hillary Clinton Supports A Big-Government Takeover Of Health Care:

Sen. Clinton's Plan Would Expand Government-Run Programs, Like Medicaid And S-CHIP. (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

- "In Addition To The Broad Array Of Private Options That Americans Can Choose From, They Will Be Offered The Choice Of A Public Plan Option Similar To Medicare." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Supports A "Medicare For All" Government-Run Program. "She also proposed providing 'options to people to buy into government health care.' A far broader program known as 'Medicare for All,' she said, 'would be something to be considered' if Democrats can win at least 55 seats in the Senate." (Ben Smith, "Clinton Set To Unveil Health Care Plan," The Politico, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Wants To Expand S-CHIP, A First Step Toward A Government Takeover Of Health Care. "But aides and advisers who spoke on condition on anonymity said that Mrs. Clinton would propose expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program as a step toward universal coverage." (Robert Pear, "Clinton To Propose Universal Health Care," The New York Times, 9/16/06)

The Cato Institute's Michael Tanner: "In Many Ways, It Turns Insurers Into Public Utilities." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

Sen. Clinton Will Raise Taxes To Pay For Universal Health Care:

Sen. Clinton's Plan Will Cost An Estimated $110 Billion-Per-Year. (Beth Fouhy, "Clinton Health Plan Outlined," The Associated Press, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Will Roll Back The Bush Tax Cuts To Pay For Her Universal Healthcare Plan. "The plan offers tens of millions of Americans a new tax credit to make premiums affordable-which more than offsets the increased revenues from the Plan's provisions to limit the employer tax exclusion for health care and discontinue portions of the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton: "I Don't Think There's Any Democrat That Is Not Going To Let The Bush Tax Cuts On The Wealthiest Americans Expire. We're All Going To Do That, So That Money Will Be Available." (CNN, Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)

Sen. Clinton: "Something Has To Be Taken Away From Some People." "Take health care. I think we could get almost unanimous agreement that having more than 45 million uninsured people, nine million of whom are children, is a moral wrong in America... We have to build a political consensus. And that requires people giving up a little bit of their own turf, in order to create this common ground. ... And that means something has to be taken away from some people." (Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Remarks At Sojourners Presidential Forum, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 6/4/07)

Sen. Hillary Clinton Is Pushing A One-Size-Fits-All Nationalized Plan:

Sen. Clinton's Plan Mandates That Employers Pay For Health Insurance. "Employers: will help financing the system; large employers will be expected to provide health insurance or contribute to the cost of coverage ..." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

- Government-Managed Employer Mandates. "The 2007 version is also likely to be a form of government-managed competition that would require all employers to provide health insurance, according to Michael Tanner, a health care expert at the free-market oriented Cato Institute." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

Sen. Clinton Is Pushing Nationalized Universal Health Care. "Fourteen years after her first effort as first lady at overhauling the nation's health care system failed, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton unveils a new plan for universal health coverage Monday that she hopes will help get her back into the White House as president." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

- Sen. Clinton: "When I'm President, We're Going To Get It Done - We're Going To Have Universal Health Care." (Ben Smith, "Clinton Set To Unveil Health Care Plan," The Politico, 9/17/07)

More Government Bureaucracy

Sen. Clinton's Plan Gives Americans Access To Private Insurance Options Through The Federal Employee Health Benefit Program But Does Nothing To Address Tax Code Inequity. "Americans can keep their existing coverage or access the same menu of quality private insurance options that their Members of Congress receive through a new Health Choices Menu, established without any new bureaucracy as part of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). In addition to the broad array of private options that Americans can choose from, they will be offered the choice of a public plan option similar to Medicare." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

Putting People Into Government Insurance

Sen. Clinton's Plan Expands Government-Run Programs. "Strengthen Medicaid and CHIP: The Plan will fix the holes in the safety net to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive affordable, quality care." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

- "In Addition To The Broad Array Of Private Options That Americans Can Choose From, They Will Be Offered The Choice Of A Public Plan Option Similar To Medicare." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

Increasing Taxes

Sen. Clinton's Plan Will Cost An Estimated $110 Billion-Per-Year In Higher Taxes. "The proposal, Clinton's first major effort to achieve universal health coverage since an ill-fated 1994 plan, carries a price tag of about $110 billion per year." (Beth Fouhy, "Clinton Health Plan Outlined," The Associated Press, 9/17/07)

- Sen. Clinton Will Roll Back The Bush Tax Cuts To Pay For Her Universal Healthcare Plan. "The plan offers tens of millions of Americans a new tax credit to make premiums affordable-which more than offsets the increased revenues from the Plan's provisions to limit the employer tax exclusion for health care and discontinue portions of the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

A Plan Based Upon Divisions

Senator Clinton's Plan Is Based On Conflict. SENATOR CLINTON: "Now I know that these proposals will not make me the insurance industry woman of the year. But I don't think I've been in the running for that title since 1993." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks, Des Moines, IA, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Will Mandate Employers Provide Coverage

Sen. Clinton's Plan Mandates That Employers Pay For Health Insurance. "Employers: will help financing the system; large employers will be expected to provide health insurance or contribute to the cost of coverage ..." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

- Government-Managed Employer Mandates. "The 2007 version is also likely to be a form of government-managed competition that would require all employers to provide health insurance, according to Michael Tanner, a health care expert at the free-market oriented Cato Institute." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Supports Market-Based Reform, Not A Big-Government Takeover:

Gov. Romney's Plan Allows Market Forces To Decrease The Cost Of Health Care. "Many Americans can't afford private health insurance because state markets are over-regulated and in serious need of reform. Governor Romney will provide federal incentives for states to deregulate and reform their health insurance markets. This will bring down the cost of health insurance and facilitate greater consumer choice, while giving states the power to institute the reforms that suit them best." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney's Plan Fosters "Vibrant And Competitive" Markets For Health Care. "Governor Romney's reforms will make this a reality by bringing down the cost of private health insurance. He will do this by fostering vibrant and competitive health insurance markets in each of the fifty states, reforming the tax code to make it cheaper for individuals to buy private insurance, and helping the low-income uninsured afford the private coverage of their choice." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

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

"Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's Recent Health-Care Reform Proposals, Which Rely On Free-Market Principles And Federalism, Will Go A Long Way To Fixing Our Health-Care System's Woes." (John F. Cogan and R. Glenn Hubbard, Op-Ed, "Bringing The Market To Health Care," The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Supports Tax Breaks For Health Care:

Gov. Romney's Plan Focuses On Reforming The Tax Code To Make It Cheaper For Individuals To Buy Private Insurance. "[Gov. Romney] proposes to allow individuals to deduct out-of-pocket health-care expenditures from their taxable income, allow individuals who purchase health insurance premiums on their own -- rather than through their employer -- to deduct health insurance premiums, and to expand Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by eliminating the requirement that a qualifying health plan contain a high deductible. (John F. Cogan and R. Glenn Hubbard, Op-Ed, "Bringing the Market to Health Care," The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Believes Tax Breaks Will Help 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's Plan Lowers Taxes For Americans. "Because both out-of-pocket spending and individually purchased health insurance would be deductible, a person in a 15% tax bracket who purchases a $2,000 health-insurance plan and who has an additional $700 in out-of-pocket expenses would realize a tax savings of $405 -- a 20% reduction in the effective cost of the insurance plan. The lower cost provides significant incentive for currently uninsured individuals to buy at least catastrophic insurance." (John F. Cogan and R. Glenn Hubbard, Op-Ed, "Bringing The Market To Health Care," The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Supports A State-By State Approach To Health Care Reform:

The Heritage Foundation's Edmund Haislmaier: Gov. Romney Promoted A Market-Based Reform In Massachusetts. "In reality, those who want to create a consumer-based health system and deregulate health insurance should view Romney's plan as one of the most promising strategies out there." (Edmund F. Haislmaier, "Mitt's Fit," The Heritage Foundation, 1/28/07)

Haislmaier: The Massachusetts Plan Expanded Consumer Choice And Reduced Taxpayer Burden. "The objectives are expanded coverage, greater consumer choice and satisfaction, value-focused competition among insurers and providers, and ultimately a reduced burden on the state's taxpayers." (Edmund Haislmaier, "The Significance Of Massachusetts Health Reform," The Heritage Foundation, 4/11/06)

Now, Gov. Romney Wants To Encourage Other States To Develop Their Own Health Care Solutions – Not Nationalized 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)

The Connector: Fixing Inequities In The Tax Code

The Massachusetts "Connector" Enables Individuals And Businesses To Buy Private Health Insurance With "Pre-Tax Dollars." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

- The "'Connector' Does Dramatically Facilitate Individually-Owned Health Insurance Plans..." "Nevertheless, the Massachusetts 'Connector' does dramatically facilitate individually-owned health insurance plans by enabling individuals to purchase health insurance with pre-tax dollars and choose from a number of competing private plans." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

Making Private Health Insurance More Affordable

The Massachusetts Health Care Plan Makes Private Health Insurance More Affordable. "Every uninsured citizen in Massachusetts will soon have affordable health insurance and the costs of health care will be reduced. And we will need no new taxes, no employer mandate and no government takeover to make this happen." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

- Health Care Reform "Has Cut The Number Of Uninsured In The State By Nearly A Third." (Steve LeBlanc, "Massachusetts Celebrates Anniversary Of Landmark Health Care Law," The Associated Press, 4/11/07)

Affordable Health Care With No New Taxes

The Massachusetts Plan Redirects Existing Funds To Help Lower-Income Citizens Obtain Private Insurance – No New Taxes. "The big question we faced, however, was where the money for the subsidy would come from. We didn't want higher taxes; but we did have about $1 billion already in the system through a long-established uninsured-care fund that partially reimburses hospitals for free care. The fund is raised through an annual assessment on insurance providers and hospitals, plus contributions from the state and federal governments." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

- The Heritage Foundation: "The Subsidies Require No New Tax Monies." "The subsidies require no new tax monies. Federal and state funds currently subsidizing hospitals for treating the uninsured will simply be redirected into buying coverage for the low-income uninsured." (Edmund F. Haislmaier, "Massachusetts Health Reform: What The Doctor Ordered," The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org, 5/6/06)

Working Together To Solve Our Health Care Needs

Governor Romney Brought All Stakeholders Together to Craft The Massachusetts Plan. "Observers of the state's progress since the health care law was passed in April 2006 say they are impressed that the varied constituencies – including health insurers, businesses, advocates, medical providers and taxpayers – largely continue to support the law and have worked to resolve differences." (Pam Belluck, "Massachusetts Universal Care Plan Faces Hurdles," The New York Times, 7/1/07)

Governor Romney Vetoed An Employer Mandate

Governor Romney Opposed A Requirement That Employers Furnish Coverage or Pay A Fine. "My Democratic counterparts have added an annual $295 per-person fee charged to employers that do not contribute toward insurance premiums for any of their employees. The fee is unnecessary and probably counterproductive, and so I will take corrective action." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health Care For Everyone?" The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/06)

- Governor Romney: "[M]y plan calls for a personal responsibility principle: Everyone must either become insured or maintain adequate savings to cover their medical expenses." (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, "Health-Care Reform Gets A Fair Shake," Boston Herald, 6/21/05)