Contact information:Individuals or families currently covered by health insurance |
» Those who currently have health insurance would be able to keep their coverage. » Consumers would be able to purchase health insurance nationwide instead of being limited to companies within their home state. » Consumers would be permitted to purchase health insurance through any organization or association they choose as well as through their employers or directly from an insurance company. » Tax credits of $2,500 to individuals and $5,000 to families would be provided to consumers to help them purchase insurance, whether they purchase insurance through their Employer or on their own. » Consumers would have greater access to information on price, provider qualifications, and outcomes to encourage health care providers to improve quality and reduce costs. » Restrictions on the purchasing of drugs from sources outside the U.S. would be reduced, giving Americans more options for shopping for less expensive drugs. » Malpractice reforms would limit frivolous lawsuits and the awarding of excessive damages. |
Individuals or families currently without health insurance |
» Individuals would not be required to purchase health insurance. » Consumers would be able to purchase health insurance nationwide instead of being limited to companies within their home state. » Consumers would be permitted to purchase health insurance through any organization or association they choose as well as through their employers or directly from an insurance company. » Tax credits of $2,500 to individuals and $5,000 to families would be provided to consumers to help them purchase insurance, whether they purchase insurance through their Employer or on their own. » Low-income families with unusually high health care costs would be eligible for a "Risk adjustment bonus" to supplement the Tax credits and Medicaid funds they receive. » Consumers would have greater access to information on price, provider qualifications, and outcomes to encourage health care providers to improve quality and reduce costs. » Restrictions on the purchasing of drugs from sources outside the U.S. would be reduced, giving Americans more options for shopping for less expensive drugs. » Malpractice reforms would limit frivolous lawsuits and the awarding of excessive damages. |
Employers |
» Employers would not be required to provide health insurance for their employees. » Employers would have greater access to information on price, provider qualifications, and outcomes to encourage health care providers to improve quality and reduce costs. » Malpractice reforms would limit frivolous lawsuits and the awarding of excessive damages. |
McCain’s plan for health care focuses on expanding access to health care through market reforms, tax incentives, and innovative, efficient systems for delivering care. He opposes mandates requiring individuals and businesses to purchase health insurance, and emphasizes that Americans must take greater responsibility for their health.
To expand access to health care, McCain proposes to allow people to buy health insurance nationwide instead of limiting them to in-state companies, and permitting people to buy insurance through any organization or association they choose as well as through their employers or directly from an insurance company. He also proposes to provide Tax credits of $2,500 to individuals and $5,000 to families as an incentive to help them buy insurance. All people would get the tax credit even if they get insurance through work or buy it on their own.
McCain supports the expansion of different methods of delivering care, including walk-in clinics in retail outlets across the country, and developing routes for cheaper generic versions of drugs to enter the U.S. market, including allowing for safe importation of drugs.
McCain’s plan also emphasizes the creation of national standards for measuring treatments and the outcomes achieved by health care providers, and proposes that information on outcomes, quality and price be made widely available to health consumers to encourage providers to deliver efficient, high quality care. He also wants Medicare to pay only for high quality care, and he does not want Medicare to have to pay for care that is necessary due to medical errors that providers make. He also proposes malpractice reforms to limit frivolous lawsuits/ excessive damages and provide safe harbors for practice within clinical guidelines and safety protocols.
McCain also proposes a greater focus on policies and programs to emphasize prevention and wellness, and supports federal research related to science-based care and cure of chronic disease. He proposes support for education of children about health, nutrition, and exercise, as well as support for public health initiatives to decrease obesity and diabetes and deter smoking.
The Health Care Solutions Group is a non-partisan health institute focused on supporting improvement in the health care system. This site will provide health care reform plan information proposed by the presidential candidates and will include analysis, related news, commentary from health policy experts and additional voter resources.