Explore Candidates → President → Barack Obama on Health Care
Barack Obama
on
Health Care
- Abortion and Birth Control
- Civil Liberties and Domestic Security
- Crime and Punishment
- Education
- Environment and Energy
- Gay Rights
- Government and Elections
- Gun Control
- Health Care
- Immigration
- Internet and Media
- Iraq and Foreign Policy
- Medical Marijuana and Drug Policy
- Religion and Public Life
- Science
- Social Security
- Taxes and Budget
- Trade and Economics
Q: "Sen. Edwards says your plan doesn't really provide universal coverage. Does it?" A: "Absolutely it does. John [Edwards] and I have a disagreement. John thinks that the only way we get universal coverage is to mandate coverage. I think that the problem is not that people are trying to avoid getting health care coverage. It is folks like that who are desperately in desire of it, but they can can't afford it."
2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007
"The time has come for universal health care in America," Obama said at a conference of Families USA, a health care advocacy group. "I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country."
“I emphasize reducing costs. My belief is that if we make it affordable, if we provide subsidies to those who can’t afford it, they will buy it…. [I will] bring all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors but bringing all parties together and broadcasting those negotiations on CSPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are. Because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process…. I am absolutely committed to making sure that anybody in America who needs healthcare is going to get it.”
"To help pay for all this, we will ask all but the smallest businesses who don't make a meaningful contribution today to the health care coverage of their employees to do so by supporting this new plan. And we'll also allow the temporary Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire."
Barack Obama would regulate private insurance plans to end risk-rating based on health status -- a system that can render people like cancer survivors or diabetes patients uninsurable.
"Given the money we spend on health care, we should be able to provide basic coverage to everyone. But we have to contain costs, including Medicare and Medicaid. The market alone cannot solve the problem--in part because the market has proven incapable of creating large enough insurance pools to keep costs to individuals affordable. Overall, 20% of all patients account for 80% of the care, and if we can prevent disease or manage their effects, we can dramatically improve outcomes and save money."
The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.183-185 Oct 1, 2006
Obama's plan will provide affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage for all Americans by: Making available a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals purchase private coverage and to reform the private insurance market. Any American could enroll in participating private plans, which would have to provide comprehensive benefits, issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums.
Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers" Aug 26, 2007
Obama's plan will provide affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage for all Americans by: Immediately ensuring all 9 million currently uninsured children.
Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers" Aug 26, 2007
On campaign website Obama pledges to: "Mandate that all children have health care coverage"
"I say that young people, who are the most likely to be healthy but think they are invulnerable -- and decide I don't need health care -- what I'm saying is that insurance companies and my plan as well will allow people up to 25 years old to be covered under their parents' plan."
Barack Obama would provide subsidies for low-income Americans to help them afford coverage.
"We know that as progressives we believe in affordable health care for all Americans, and that we're going to make sure that Americans don't have to choose between a health care plan that bankrupts the government and one that bankrupts families, the party that won't just throw a few tax breaks at families who can't afford their insurance, but will modernize our health care system and give every family a chance to buy insurance at a price they can afford."
Annual 2006 Take Back America Conference Jun 14, 2006
In May, Obama announced a plan to provide health care for all by 2012. Obama's plan, according to Newsday, would work within the existing private insurance system but would provide subsidies to help insurance purchasers on a sliding scale.
Barack Obama would require employers (some small businesses would be exempt or subsidized) to either offer health insurance to employees or pay a tax that would be used to help uninsured people get insurance.
"Employers are going to have to pay or play. I think that employers either have to provide health care coverage for their employees or they've got to make a decision that they're going to help pay for those who don't have coverage outside the employer system."
SEIU Democratic Health Care Forum in Las Vegas Mar 24, 2007