Clinton Announces Economic Package, Cites Importance of Health Care Proposal

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) on Thursday announced a comprehensive economic package that includes her proposal to expand health insurance to all U.S. residents, the Washington Post reports (Weisman/Kornblut, Washington Post, 2/15).

During a speech at a General Motors manufacturing facility in Warren, Ohio, Clinton said, "We'll take on the insurance companies and tell them they can no longer discriminate against the sickest people who need care the most." She added, "They spend more than $50 billion a year trying to figure out how not to cover people," but "I'm going to save them a fortune and a whole lot of time because here's the new policy: No more discrimination, period. ... [N]o questions asked."

In addition, Clinton promised to "go after drug companies and insurance companies that are overcharging consumers and the government" and "end their profiteering at our expense" (Allen, The Politico, 2/14). Clinton said that her economic package would take at least $55 billion annually from pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, and firms that move jobs overseas and use those funds to finance efforts to reduce health care costs, make college more affordable, and create jobs (Rhee, Boston Globe, 2/15).

In an interview after the speech, Clinton cited her health care proposal as an important part of her economic package because, unless health care costs decrease for U.S. companies, "we'll never have a strong manufacturing base again in America" (Hulsey/Hershey, Western Star, 2/15).

SEIU Endorsement Likely
Service Employees International Union officials on Thursday told the Associated Press that the union likely will endorse Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.). SEIU -- which has about 1.8 million members, many of whom are health care workers -- is "99%" likely to announce the endorsement of Obama on Friday, according to one of the union officials (Holland, AP/Houston Chronicle, 2/15).

Florida Poll
Almost two-thirds of South Florida residents believe that uninsured U.S. residents should have access to health care, according to a Gallup poll presented on Wednesday at the University of Miami, the Miami Herald reports. For the poll, commissioned by the Council for Excellence in Government, Gallup surveyed 401 residents of three South Florida counties in late January.

According to the poll, 76% of people have concerns about health care costs, and 72% have concerns about prescription drug coverage and the safety and quality of care. In addition, 45% rated access to health care as fair or poor, although 77% rated their own health insurance as excellent or good, the poll found. About two-thirds of people said they have paid close attention to the health care positions of presidential candidates, and 47% said that they have paid "very close" attention, according to the poll (Dorschner, Miami Herald, 2/15).

A kaisernetwork.org webcast of a forum at the University of Miami where the poll was discussed is available online.