In my recent video posted on the Pulse, I criticized John McCain's health plan (and other similar plans like Richard Burr's) as radical and dangerous. Why? They throw people onto the open market where, if you are young and healthy you can buy coverage but, if you are older or sicker, prices skyrocket. McCain is opposed to preventing insurance companies from charging more because of age or pre-existing conditions. He was called on this silly idea most effectively by Elizabeth Edwards who recently pointed out that with both she and McCain's history of cancer, there is no way they could buy affordable coverage on the individual market.
Now McCain is backpedaling with vague assurances that people who are older or sicker will be able to buy coverage through some sort of state-funded "high risk pools". Surprise, surprise. Let the health insurance industry insure the young and healthy – and make gobs of money – and push off those of us who cost more into expensive pools subsidized by the state. What a joke – and the insurance company execs are laughing all the way to the bank. McCain can't defend his plan because it won't work. I can't wait to see him debate Obama or Clinton on this – he won't have a chance.
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