Dems discuss health care ideas
Democratic congressional candidate Bill Foster released his health care plan this week, and his approach to federally funded medical services reads like a combination platter.
Foster, who is running for the 14th District seat, takes a little from Column A -- he wants comprehensive coverage for basic health care for all Americans. But he takes a little from Column B, too, by retaining a competitive health care system for families and employers who choose additional coverage.
This system, Foster said, would cut the administrative costs of health care, and would make it more affordable for the average American. But the campaign has no set-in-stone definition of "basic health care." According to Foster spokesman Tom Bowen, the plan would focus on covering preventive care and catastrophic emergency service, with the idea that more of the first should result in less of the second.
Foster's program also would require demonstrated cost-effectiveness to control costs of treatment, and would involve closely monitoring the results of that federally funded treatment. Foster also believes his plan will increase competition while discouraging prescription drug companies from spending money on marketing and advertising.
"The first step toward solving the health care problem in this country is cutting out unnecessary overhead," Foster said. "Rather than perpetuating a broken system based on ideology and bickering in Congress, let's look at what works and what doesn't."
Bowen touted Foster's experience as a scientist and businessman -- Foster spent more than two decades at Fermilab in Batavia, leading teams and inventing particle physics devices, and he co-owns Electronic Theatre Controls, one of the nation's biggest manufacturers of theatrical lighting.
"I think it's important to put out principles," Bowen said. "You can argue that the details aren't there, but you'd be remiss to say that Bill Foster wouldn't be able to come to a solution."
Jotham Stein, one of Foster's Democratic opponents in the Feb. 5 primary election, supports universal health care for every American. But like Foster, he offers few concrete details for his plan's implementation. He would pay for universal health care by cutting wasteful spending, forcing the IRS to collect on unpaid taxes, and rolling back President George W. Bush's tax cuts.
He's also wary of Foster's two-tiered system, although he would not comment without full details.
"It's important to understand, if he's talking about rationing care, just what it is he's talking about," Stein said.
The third Democrat in the race, John Laesch, supports a single-payer universal health care system as well, which he says would be just like extending the Medicare system to cover everyone. He backs Rep. John Conyers' bill, the United States National Health Insurance Act, and says such care can be paid for by increasing Medicare taxes.
Laesch, who received the endorsement Wednesday of Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, also criticized Foster for not providing concrete details in his plan.
"If you get a candidate who ducks and dives on the campaign trail, and doesn't put out concrete, bold plans, they'll do the same in Washington," he said.
