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John Edwards on Health Care
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
We have to stop letting the health insurance companies and the big pharmaceutical concerns decide our nation's health care policy. We have to give the silent victims, who stand in line at free clinics and use the expired medicines of friends and neighbors, we have to give them the dignity of universal health care. Will you stand up for universal health insurance in America?
Campaign website, johnedwards.com Feb 1, 2007
Q: [to Edwards]: Does Sen. Obama provide universal coverage? EDWARDS: No, because the only way to provide universal coverage is to mandate that everyone be covered. Sen. Obama's made a very serious proposal, and I'm not casting aspersions on his plan. It just doesn't cover everybody. The only way to cover everybody is to mandate it. We have talked about it too long. We have got to stand up to the insurance companies and the drug companies. It is the only way we're ever going to bring about real change. We should be outraged by these stories.
2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate Jul 23, 2007
We have a threshold question about whether we're going to have truly universal care. The New Republic has estimated that Obama's plan will leave about 15 million people uncovered. He says he will do something about that later. I believe unless we have a law requiring that every man, woman and child in America be covered, we're going to have millions of people who aren't covered.
2007 Dem. debate at Saint Anselm College Jun 3, 2007
Q: Would you be willing to raise taxes in order to help pay for this? EDWARDS: Yes, we'll have to raise taxes. The, the only way you can pay for a health care plan, from 90--that costs anywhere from $90 billion to $120 billion is there has to be a revenue source. The revenue source for paying for the plan that I'm proposing is, is first we get rid of George Bush's tax cuts for people who make over $200,000 a year. This plan, in and of itself, creates some efficiencies and helps to reduce the cost of health care globally in America. And then, finally, we need to do a much better job of collecting the taxes that are - that are already owed. And a very specific example of something we should do, we should have brokerage houses report the capital gains that, that people are incurring, because we're losing billions and billions of dollars in tax revenue, and billions and billions of dollars from capital gains not being reported. Q: But you'd be willing to increase taxes to provide health care? EDWARDS: Yes, absolutely.
Q: There are going to be candidates who suggest that it's possible to achieve universal coverage without raising taxes, without new sources of revenue. You have been very up front about the fact that your plan does involve tax increases. Do you think it's possible to get there without them? EDWARDS: No, I do not. I spent a great deal of time studying this issue, working with health economists around the country. I've spent many months on this. I do not believe you can have universal health care without finding a source of revenue.
SEIU Democratic Health Care Forum in Las Vegas Mar 24, 2007
I think my proposal, a truly universal plan, but doesn't go directly to single-payer, can be accomplished. And second, it does give people choice. Now, it may be that choice gravitates towards a single-payer plan [by consumers choosing a Medicare-Plus option]--but consumers will decide that.
SEIU Democratic Health Care Forum in Las Vegas Mar 24, 2007
We ask employers to play a bigger role, which means they either have to have coverage, or they have to buy into what we're calling health markets. One of the choices available in these health markets is the government plan. So people who like the idea of a single-payer insurer health plan, that is actually one of the alternatives that people can choose. We expand SCHIP; we expand Medicaid. The bottom line is we're asking everybody to share in the responsibility of making health care work in this country.
Meet the Press: Meet the Candidates 2008 series Feb 4, 2007
I support a health care plan that would cover every child and millions of vulnerable adults, and also bring down health costs for all Americans. I support a strong Patients Bill of Rights, prescription drug benefit in Medicare, and stem cell research.
2004 Presidential National Political Awareness Test Mar 3, 2004
Edwards proposes that for the first time in history, America should require health insurance for every child, with tax credits to help families with rising premiums. He will take on insurance companies, drug companies, and HMOs to bring down health care costs for every American.
Real Solutions For America, campaign booklet by John Edwards Aug 6, 2003
Edwards proposes that for the first time in history, America should require health insurance for every child, with tax credits to help families with rising premiums.
Real Solutions For America, campaign booklet by John Edwards Aug 6, 2003
Kerry/Edwards 2004 Campaign Statement: We will provide additional help for those who need the most help: Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 years old often have the hardest time finding an affordable health plan. Our plan provides millions of low and moderate income Americans in this age group with a 25% tax credit to help pay the cost of their premiums. Americans who are between jobs often cannot afford health insurance. Our plan helps low and moderate income Americans between jobs by offering them a 75% tax credit to help pay for their premiums. Small business employees are far less likely to have health insurance than employees of large business because health insurers tend to charge small businesses higher premiums for the same coverage. We will offer small businesses a tax credit that covers up to 50% of their premium contribution for low-to-moderate income employees, Finally, low-to-moderate income individuals will get a tax credit to help pay the cost of participating in the Congressional Health Plan.
Our Plan For America , p.104 Aug 10, 2004
And I think the most effective way to do that is we take the 47 million people who don't have health care coverage, we expand Medicaid, we provide subsidies for people who don't have coverage.
Meet the Press: Meet the Candidates 2008 series Feb 4, 2007
Q: Which taxes would you raise to pay for health care? EDWARDS: I would get rid of Bush's tax cuts for people who make over $200,000 a year. My universal health care plan would require employers to cover all their employees or pay into a fund that covers the cracks in the health care system--mental health parity; chronic care; preventative care; long-term care; subsidized health care costs.
South Carolina 2007 Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007
The Edwards Plan achieves universal coverage by...Requiring businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance.