A Prescription for Change!
Full Transcript of Dr. Dean's health care policy interview on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. A gem, including the first comparison (I've seen) between Dean and Kerry's plans (below). But what I like best about Dean in this interview is that he begins where he's strongest -- by touting his record, not his promises. With nine candidates and numerous health plans, what will distinguish Dean from the pack is what he has accomplished. The more times he reminds the American public that Rep. Gephardt and Sen. Kerry couldn't get their proposals through Congress, the better off he'll be.
RAY SUAREZ: What would you say the biggest difference is between your plan and those offered, for instance, by Senator Kerry, which emphasizes cost containment a little more, by Congressman Gephardt that emphasizes using employee based programs more?
HOWARD DEAN: Well, I like Dick and Senator Kerry and I'm pleased they've joined me in offering a health care plan. The criticism I'd have of Dick's plan is it won't pass because it costs more than the Bush tax cuts, and there's no real way to pay for that. And I don't think we can get the votes to do it. Senator Kerry's plan concerns me because although it's based on a lot of the same things that we based ours on, the insurance rates stops at 100 percent of poverty.
So there are a lot of working families that don't get covered without significant expense to themselves. We're not talking about wealthy people or even middle class people. We're talking about people who are barely above the poverty level, having to go out and get their own insurance, so I think our plan is a little bit more generous to the low income working people and moderate income working people; families that make $33,000 a year I think need that extra help, and that's present in our plan but not Senator Kerry's plan.
RAY SUAREZ: What would you say the biggest difference is between your plan and those offered, for instance, by Senator Kerry, which emphasizes cost containment a little more, by Congressman Gephardt that emphasizes using employee based programs more?
HOWARD DEAN: Well, I like Dick and Senator Kerry and I'm pleased they've joined me in offering a health care plan. The criticism I'd have of Dick's plan is it won't pass because it costs more than the Bush tax cuts, and there's no real way to pay for that. And I don't think we can get the votes to do it. Senator Kerry's plan concerns me because although it's based on a lot of the same things that we based ours on, the insurance rates stops at 100 percent of poverty.
So there are a lot of working families that don't get covered without significant expense to themselves. We're not talking about wealthy people or even middle class people. We're talking about people who are barely above the poverty level, having to go out and get their own insurance, so I think our plan is a little bit more generous to the low income working people and moderate income working people; families that make $33,000 a year I think need that extra help, and that's present in our plan but not Senator Kerry's plan.
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