Romney Campaign Press Release - Hillarycare 2.0 Is "Bad Medicine"

"HillaryCare continues to be bad medicine. ... In her plan, we have government insurance, instead of private insurance. ... In her plan, it's crafted by Washington. It should be crafted by the states. ... I think she takes her inspiration from European bureaucracies and instead we should take our inspiration from the American people." - Gov. Mitt Romney (Michael Luo, "Romney Blasts Clinton Health Care Plan," The New York Times' Caucus Blog, Posted 9/17/07)

To view Gov. Romney addressing "HillaryCare 2.0," please see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecrISOt_70E

GOV. ROMNEY: CONSERVATIVE, MARKET-BASED HEALTH CARE REFORM

Gov. Romney Supports Market-Based Reform, Not A Big-Government Takeover:

Gov. Romney's Plan Allows Market Forces To Decrease The Cost Of Health Care. "Many Americans can't afford private health insurance because state markets are over-regulated and in serious need of reform. Governor Romney will provide federal incentives for states to deregulate and reform their health insurance markets. This will bring down the cost of health insurance and facilitate greater consumer choice, while giving states the power to institute the reforms that suit them best." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney's Plan Fosters "Vibrant And Competitive" Markets For Health Care. "Governor Romney's reforms will make this a reality by bringing down the cost of private health insurance. He will do this by fostering vibrant and competitive health insurance markets in each of the fifty states, reforming the tax code to make it cheaper for individuals to buy private insurance, and helping the low-income uninsured afford the private coverage of their choice." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

- Gov. Romney: "The Market Can Work To Solve Our Health Care Needs..." (MSNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Simi Valley, CA, 5/3/07)

"Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's Recent Health-Care Reform Proposals, Which Rely On Free-Market Principles And Federalism, Will Go A Long Way To Fixing Our Health-Care System's Woes." (John F. Cogan and R. Glenn Hubbard, Op-Ed, "Bringing The Market To Health Care," The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Supports A State-By State Approach To Health Care Reform:

The Heritage Foundation's Edmund Haislmaier: Gov. Romney Promoted A Market-Based Reform In Massachusetts. "In reality, those who want to create a consumer-based health system and deregulate health insurance should view Romney's plan as one of the most promising strategies out there." (Edmund F. Haislmaier, "Mitt's Fit," The Heritage Foundation, 1/28/07)

Haislmaier: The Massachusetts Plan Expanded Consumer Choice And Reduced Taxpayer Burden. "The objectives are expanded coverage, greater consumer choice and satisfaction, value-focused competition among insurers and providers, and ultimately a reduced burden on the state's taxpayers." (Edmund Haislmaier, "The Significance Of Massachusetts Health Reform," The Heritage Foundation, 4/11/06)

Now, Gov. Romney Wants To Encourage Other States To Develop Their Own Health Care Solutions - Not Nationalized Health Care. "Governor Romney's health care reform plan is a comprehensive solution to America's health care ills that expands access to affordable, portable, quality, private health insurance. But rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all, government-run system, Governor Romney's plan recognizes the importance of the role of the states in leading reform and the need for innovation in dealing with rising health care costs and the problem of the uninsured." (Romney For President, "Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care," Press Release, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney Believes That A "One-Size-Fits-All" Approach To Health Care Reform Is Wrong. "But [Gov. Romney] will also aim to reassure conservatives by saying that a 'one size fits all' solution isn't right for the 50 states. As for why he would use a different philosophy as president than as governor, they say he would have greater powers in the White House. 'Massachusetts didn't have the federal tax code to play with,' said Glenn Hubbard, a former Bush administration chief economist, now advising the Romney campaign." (Mary Jacoby and Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

- Gov. Romney: "I Would Like The Federal Government To Give Each State The Flexibility To Create The Program They Think Is Best For Their State ... I Would Never Suggest That The Federal Government Put In Place A One Size Fits All Program For All States." (CNBC's "Kudlow & Company," 8/29/07)

Gov. Romney Rejects Sen. Clinton's Calls For Socialized Medicine. '"She'll have health care run by Washington,' Romney said. 'I don't want to have the people who did the Katrina cleanup taking care of my health care.'" (Nafeesa Syeed, "Romney Pans Clinton On Health Care," The Associated Press, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Supports Tax Breaks For Health Care :

Gov. Romney's Plan Focuses On Reforming The Tax Code To Make It Cheaper For Individuals To Buy Private Insurance. "[Gov. Romney] proposes to allow individuals to deduct out-of-pocket health-care expenditures from their taxable income, allow individuals who purchase health insurance premiums on their own -- rather than through their employer -- to deduct health insurance premiums, and to expand Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by eliminating the requirement that a qualifying health plan contain a high deductible. (John F. Cogan and R. Glenn Hubbard, Op-Ed, "Bringing the Market to Health Care," The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/07)

Gov. Romney Believes Tax Breaks Will Help Decrease Health Care Costs. "Instead, Mr. Romney plans to focus on tax breaks and streamlining regulations, policies his advisers say would essentially create a new, freer market for health insurance, driving down costs and providing incentives for individuals to buy their own plans. It is an approach President Bush and many Republican economists have embraced." (Mary Jacoby and Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

Gov. Romney's Plan Lowers Taxes For Americans. "Because both out-of-pocket spending and individually purchased health insurance would be deductible, a person in a 15% tax bracket who purchases a $2,000 health-insurance plan and who has an additional $700 in out-of-pocket expenses would realize a tax savings of $405 -- a 20% reduction in the effective cost of the insurance plan. The lower cost provides significant incentive for currently uninsured individuals to buy at least catastrophic insurance." (John F. Cogan and R. Glenn Hubbard, Op-Ed, "Bringing The Market To Health Care," The Wall Street Journal, 9/15/07)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: HILLARYCARE 2.0

Sen. Hillary Clinton Supports A Big-Government Takeover Of Health Care:


Sen. Clinton's Plan Would Expand Government-Run Programs, Like Medicaid And S-CHIP. "Strengthen Medicaid and CHIP: The Plan will fix the holes in the safety net to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive affordable, quality care." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

- "In Addition To The Broad Array Of Private Options That Americans Can Choose From, They Will Be Offered The Choice Of A Public Plan Option Similar To Medicare." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Supports A "Medicare For All" Government-Run Program. "She also proposed providing 'options to people to buy into government health care.' A far broader program known as 'Medicare for All,' she said, 'would be something to be considered' if Democrats can win at least 55 seats in the Senate." (Ben Smith, "Clinton Set To Unveil Health Care Plan," The Politico, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Want To Expand S-CHIP, A First Step Toward A Government Takeover Of Health Care. "But aides and advisers who spoke on condition on anonymity said that Mrs. Clinton would propose expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program as a step toward universal coverage." (Robert Pear, "Clinton To Propose Universal Health Care," The New York Times, 9/16/06)

The Cato Institute's Michael Tanner: "In Many Ways, It Turns Insurers Into Public Utilities." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

Sen. Hillary Clinton Is Pushing A One-Size-Fits-All Nationalized Plan:

Sen. Clinton's Plan Mandates That Employers Pay For Health Insurance. "Employers: will help financing the system; large employers will be expected to provide health insurance or contribute to the cost of coverage ..." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

- Government-Managed Employer Mandates. "The 2007 version is also likely to be a form of government-managed competition that would require all employers to provide health insurance, according to Michael Tanner, a health care expert at the free-market oriented Cato Institute." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

Sen. Clinton Is Pushing Nationalized Universal Health Care. "Fourteen years after her first effort as first lady at overhauling the nation's health care system failed, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton unveils a new plan for universal health coverage Monday that she hopes will help get her back into the White House as president." (Brian Tumulty, "Clinton To Unveil Universal Health-Care Plan," Gannett News Service, 9/15/07)

- Sen. Clinton: "When I'm President, We're Going To Get It Done - We're Going To Have Universal Health Care." (Ben Smith, "Clinton Set To Unveil Health Care Plan," The Politico, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Will Raise Taxes To Pay For Universal Health Care:

Sen. Clinton's Plan Will Cost An Estimated $110 Billion-Per-Year. "The proposal, Clinton's first major effort to achieve universal health coverage since an ill-fated 1994 plan, carries a price tag of about $110 billion per year." (Beth Fouhy, "Clinton Health Plan Outlined," The Associated Press, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton Will Roll Back The Bush Tax Cuts To Pay For Her Universal Healthcare Plan. "The plan offers tens of millions of Americans a new tax credit to make premiums affordable-which more than offsets the increased revenues from the Plan's provisions to limit the employer tax exclusion for health care and discontinue portions of the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000." (Hillary For President, "The American Health Choices Plan," Press Release, 9/17/07)

Sen. Clinton: "I Don't Think There's Any Democrat That Is Not Going To Let The Bush Tax Cuts On The Wealthiest Americans Expire. We're All Going To Do That, So That Money Will Be Available." CLINTON: "I have put forth approximately $120 billion in savings from health care changes that can come, everything from electronic medical records to better management of chronic care. That is about in the ballpark of what all of us believe it will cost to cover everyone. The challenge that I'm wrestling with is how do we realize the savings? Now I don't think there's any Democrat that is not going to let the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans expire. We're all going to do that, so that money will be available." (CNN, Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)

Sen. Clinton: "Something Has To Be Taken Away From Some People." "Take health care. I think we could get almost unanimous agreement that having more than 45 million uninsured people, nine million of whom are children, is a moral wrong in America... We have to build a political consensus. And that requires people giving up a little bit of their own turf, in order to create this common ground. ... And that means something has to be taken away from some people." (Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Remarks At Sojourners Presidential Forum, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 6/4/07)