McCainCare
April 30th, 2008 by Jeb Foster
John McCain, presumptive GOP nominee for president, laid out his health care policy yesterday, and insurers are likely to embrace its hands-off approach.
In general terms, McCain wants to spur competition among insurers, increase consumer choice and reduce government intervention and regulation. He would do this, in large part, by allowing insurers to sell policies across state lines and by severing the employer-health insurance link (which earns him points in my book). He would redirect the tax break that employers currently receive to individuals, who would then be able to buy individual coverage on their own (which they could take from job to job).
McCain would also create a “guaranteed access plan” for those can’t find coverage through traditional methods, but there is some early skepticism about this ill-defined element of his proposal.
“The plan isn’t expected to make a major dent in the number of uninsured Americans, and questions remain about how the plan would help older, sicker people who can’t find insurance on the open market,” says the Wall Street Journal.
[Hat tip: WSJ Health Blog]
