Florida Health Insurance Web Explains McCain/Obama Health Insurance Positions

Jacksonville, FL (PRWEB) July 31, 2008 -- It's down to McCain and Obama for the highest office in the land. The country now in an economic crunch is slowly forgetting the red hot health insurance issue. Morgan Moran, a Florida health insurance broker said he believes, "The health insurance issue is so hot now that nothing short of disaster can stop it." The health insurance analyst said both candidates have health insurance plans carefully drawn up. Here are some of the highlights, according to FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com.

Republican candidate John McCain's goal, according to his Web site www.JohnMcCain.com, is "to provide access to affordable health care for all - by paying only for quality health care, having insurance choices that are diverse and responsive to individual needs, and encouraging personal responsibility." Obama's plan, seen on www.BarackObama.com, is "to provide affordable, and high-quality universal coverage, through mix of private and expanded public insurance."

Moran said that, "McCain's overall approach to fixing the health care problems of the nation, are mostly tax related." The McCain plan wants to "remove the favorable tax treatment of employer-sponsored insurance - and provide a tax credit to all individuals and families - to increase incentives for insurance coverage; promote insurance competition; and contain costs through payment changes to providers, tort reform and other measures," the Florida health insurance consultant said.

Moran went on to say that Obama's overall approach to health insurance (http://www.floridahealthinsuranceweb.com/getaquote.html) is similar to Hillary Clinton's health plan. "Obama, if elected, would 1) require all children to have health insurance. 2) Employers would have to offer employee health benefits or contribute to the cost of the new public program. 3) Create a new public health insurance plan, 4) expand Medicaid and SCHIP to a wider range of recipients. 6) Create a 'National health Insurance Exchange' through which small businesses and individuals without access to other public programs or employer-based coverage could enroll in the new public plan or in approved private plans."

"The toughest topic for both candidates is the topic of requiring to coverage," Moran said. "Obama will require all children to have health insurance."

Obama has also said he will, "require employers to offer 'meaningful' coverage or contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the public plan." 'small businesses, Moran said, 'will be exempt from this requirement'

The McCain plan is 180 degrees on this point. McCain says, "No provisions, and he opposes any mandates for coverage."

Then there is the subject of creating health insurance pools or subsidies to help patients pay. McCain wants to work with states to create a federally-supported Guaranteed Access Plan for people who are denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Premiums in the McCain plan would be limited and financial assistance given to those below a certain income level. Obama wants to create a National Health Insurance Exchange through which individuals could purchase the public plan or qualified private insurance plans. Obama also wants to require participating insurers to: offer coverage on a guaranteed issue basis; charge a fair and stable premium that is not rated on the basis of health status, and meet standards for quality and efficiency.

Other points of the Obama health insurance plan are to require plans of participating insurers to offer coverage at least as generous as the new public plan.

Find out more about the McCain and Obama health insurance plans at www.FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com - a free health insurance service in Jacksonville.

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