Barack Obama on Health Care
• Health tax credit is bad idea; it will cost taxpayers more. (Sep 2008)
• $15B subsidies to private insurers was a lobbyist giveaway. (Sep 2008)
• FactCheck: McCain's plan taxes employees, not employers. (Sep 2008)
• Give more help to those denied a life of dignity & respect. (Jul 2008)
• Guaranteed health care for anyone who needs it. (Jul 2008)
• End-of-life self-medication ok; euthanasia by others not ok. (Apr 2008)
• Hillary's plan must either be enforced, or leave out people. (Feb 2008)
• The problem with health care is about affordability. (Jan 2008)
• Subsidies to people who can't afford care--not single payer. (Jan 2008)
• Bring GOP & Dems together to make haelthcare affordable. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: Reducing obesity would save $18B, not $1T. (Dec 2007)
• Reforms in prevention and drug price negotiation save money. (Dec 2007)
• Tackle insurance companies on reimbursement system. (Oct 2007)
• Help young people deal with the cost of medical education. (Oct 2007)
• Morally wrong that terminally ill must consider money. (Sep 2007)
• FactCheck: Correct that insurance lobbying cost $1B. (Sep 2007)
• National smoking bans only after trying local bans. (Sep 2007)
• Reform failed in '90s because of drug company lobbying. (Jul 2007)
• Take on insurance companies; drive down health care costs. (Jun 2007)
• Address minority health needs by more coverage & targeting. (Mar 2007)
• Health care tied to balancing costs and taxes nation wide. (Jun 2006)
• Allowing seniors to bulk purchase will save taxpayers' money. (Oct 2004)
• Allow prescription drug re-importation. (May 2004)
AIDS
• Use whatever works with AIDS, including teaching abstinence. (Apr 2008)
• We need condom distribution to deal with the scourge of AIDS. (Aug 2007)
• Homophobia prevents talking about HIV/AIDS. (Jun 2007)
• Got tested for AIDS, with wife, in public, in Kenya. (Jun 2007)
• Curing AIDS must be all-hands-on-deck effort. (Mar 2007)
• Lead global fight against AIDS. (Jul 2004)
Universal Coverage
• Ban insurance companies from discriminating against the sick. (Aug 2008)
• I've got a health plan and a plan to get it implemented. (Jun 2008)
• AdWatch: My plan costs $2,500 less per family than Clinton's. (Apr 2008)
• FactCheck: Unclear if Obama's plan costs less than Clinton's. (Apr 2008)
• Universal health care means anyone who wants it can get it. (Feb 2008)
• Insurers are happy to have a mandate; issue is affordability. (Feb 2008)
• Voluntary universal participation, like in Medicare Part B. (Feb 2008)
• Mandating kids' insurance ok; mandating adults has problems. (Feb 2008)
• Young adults up to age 25 can be covered under parents' plan. (Feb 2008)
• My plan does more than anybody to reduce costs. (Feb 2008)
• My health plan does not leave 15 million people uncovered. (Feb 2008)
• Adults will get health care as they can afford it. (Feb 2008)
• AdWatch: punishing uninsured families doesn't make sense. (Feb 2008)
• FactCheck: Hillary's plan does mandate; but so does Obama's. (Feb 2008)
• No one turned away due to illness or pre-existing condition. (Feb 2008)
• Buy private insurance via National Health Insurance Exchange. (Feb 2008)
• Against enforcement mechanism for mandating insurance. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: Yes, Obama favored single-payer, despite denial. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: No, US costs are not twice as much as others. (Jan 2008)
• AdWatch: Pressure insurance & drug companies to change. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: OPPORTUNITY to insure all, but no GUARANTEE. (Jan 2008)
• AdWatch: Don't make it illegal not to have health care. (Jan 2008)
• Being poor in this country is hazardous to your health. (Dec 2007)
• Problem isn't mandating coverage, but affording it. (Nov 2007)
• FactCheck: Coverage plan might leave 8.5 million uninsured. (Nov 2007)
• Cautious incremental plan offers choice & subsidy. (Nov 2007)
• Added 20,000 children to Illinois healthcare. (Oct 2007)
• Government healthcare like members of Congress have. (Sep 2007)
• Increase competition in the insurance and drug markets. (Aug 2007)
• National Health Insurance Exchange for private coverage. (Aug 2007)
• Health plan cuts typical family's premium by $2,500 a year. (Jun 2007)
• Give people the choice to buy affordable health care. (Jun 2007)
• National insurance pool & catastrophic insurance. (Apr 2007)
• Employers are going to have to pay or play. (Mar 2007)
• Need political will to accomplish universal coverage. (Mar 2007)
• Healthcare system is broken without lifetime employment. (Oct 2006)
• The market alone can't solve our health-care woes. (Oct 2006)
• Focus on the affordability of a broad healthcare plan. (Jan 2006)
• Crises happen in our lives and healthcare is necessary. (Oct 2004)
• Believes health care is a right, not a privilege for the few. (Sep 2004)
• Will expand health coverage & allow meds to be re-imported. (May 2004)
• Ensure access to basic care. (Jul 1998)
Voting Record
• No need to mandate coverage; just let people afford it. (Jul 2007)
• Voted NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Apr 2007)
• Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
• Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005)
• Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. (Mar 2005)
• Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention. (Jan 2001)
• More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs. (Jan 2001)
• Improve services for people with autism & their families. (Apr 2007)
• Establish a national childhood cancer database. (Mar 2007)
• Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn. (Apr 2008)
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