“Americans want bold and comprehensive solutions to what most now regard as a health care crisis,” said Hickey. “The big question in the debate is about the future of the American health care system and how specific candidates will show their commitment to providing affordable health care coverage for all Americans.”

Using the “Health Care for America” proposal, developed by Yale University professor Dr. Jacob Hacker, as the benchmark for creating a simple, easy to understand, comprehensive and affordable health care plan, Hickey today posed 5 questions that should be asked of every presidential candidates’ health care plan in an editorial published on TomPaine.com.

1. Will the candidate’s plan really cover everyone with a decent guaranteed level of coverage at an affordable cost?
2. Would the candidate offer a public plan, like Medicare, that has a predictable, guaranteed level of benefits that “cannot be taken away”?
3. Has the candidate thought through how his or her plan will be financed?
4. Will the candidate’s health plan control spiraling health care costs?
5. Finally, is the candidate’s health plan simple and clear enough that they can explain it – and get us to describe it to someone else?

**NOTE: Hickey, who is leading the Campaign for America’s Future project to empower citizen participation in the health care debate, will be available to comment before and after the debate via cell: 202x. He will also be blogging at:http://blog.ourfuture.org/healthcare**
 
 
 
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 27, 2007

CONTACT: Noreen Nielsen 202-955-5665 nnielsen@ourfuture.org

WASHINGTON – While all seven of the Democratic presidential contenders who spoke at Saturday’s health care forum agreed that universal health care coverage is the solution to our nation’s health care crisis, they are still striving to get the right mix for a winning health care plan, according to Campaign for America’s Future co-director Roger Hickey.

“The candidates agree with the public that the current health care system is ailing,” said Hickey. “It’s undermining everyone’s economic security, and Americans are looking to our nation’s leaders for an alternative. Though there was a lot of agreement on the important fundamentals of achieving health care coverage for every American at the debate, it will take a combination of the ideas advanced by each candidate to get us to a plan that can work.”

Last week, Hickey posed five questions (link) that should be asked of every presidential candidate’s health care plan, using Dr. Jacob Hacker’s “Health Care for America” proposal as the benchmark for creating a simple, easy to understand, comprehensive and affordable health care plan. On Monday, he published a review of the performance of each candidate. Dr. Hacker also reviewed the debate in a piece published yesterday on TomPaine.com.

“John Edwards was bold, detailed and specific. Sen. Barack Obama stressed that no president can create a successful system without the support of a serious citizen movement to demand reform. Rep. Dennis Kucinich diagnosed the problem, and pushed for immediate transformation. And Sen. Hillary Clinton pointed to the greed and power of the insurance industry, establishing a strong starting point for an explanation that most Americans can understand about why health care is in crisis. When specifics of each plan are put together -- in the right way -- it is possible to come up with a winning health care plan, a winner for the candidate, and for the American people,” said Hickey.

The Campaign for America’s Future helped lead the fight against Social Security privatization. Hickey is now developing a similar effort to empower citizen organizations to participate in the public debate about how to get health care for all. He praised the Center for American Progress and SEIU for getting candidates to address the issue in Las Vegas, Nev.

"The public wants to hear bold solutions to what they see as a health care crisis. Sen. Edwards’ very specific health care plan provided a big step forward in that direction," said Hickey. "We’re glad to see the other presidential candidates following his lead and addressing the comprehensive changes necessary to make sure that everyone in America gets good health care coverage and promotes a responsible plan that controls costs.”

**NOTE: To schedule an interview with Roger Hickey or Dr. Hacker, please contact Noreen Nielsen at 202-955-5665 or nnielsen@ourfuture.org For more information, visit http://blog.ourfuture.org/.**