Candidates split along party lines on health

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Source: des moines register




Candidates split along party lines on health

By TONY LEYS • REGISTER STAFF WRITER • December 29, 2007
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The top Democratic contenders generally want to increase the governments' involvement in health care and help provide insurance coverage for the 47 million Americans now going without. The Republicans generally want to encourage citizens to be healthier and to help make the health care market more efficient and easier to navigate.
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State Sen. Jack Hatch, a Des Moines Democrat, said his party's health reformers used to talk more about implementing a "single-payer" system, in which the government would directly insure everyone. But the only presidential candidate still backing that idea is Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose campaign is gaining little traction. "The candidates are moving away from that, which shows they're being realistic," he said.

Hatch, who is leading a health reform effort in the Legislature, describes himself as one of the most liberal legislators at the Statehouse. But he said that even many lefties like him have decided to back off single-payer proposals and to look for more pragmatic approaches.

Top Democratic presidential candidates all are talking about ways to improve and expand the country's current mixed system of public and private insurance plans, Hatch said. Their more moderate stances demonstrate their belief that major health care changes can pass if they're not too extreme.

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