Democratic Presidential Candidate Obama Says Implementation Of His Health Care Proposal Will Be Transparent

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 10 Sep 2007 - 19:00 PST

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Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Wednesday at a campaign event in Sac City, Iowa, said that he will use an "open process" to enact universal health care, the Washington Post reports.

In response to a question about rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) attempt at reforming health care in 1993, Obama said, "It was a closed process and not everybody understood what was taking place, so when the insurance companies and the drug companies started running those 'Harry and Louise' ads, nobody really knew what was what. That's why the American people have to be involved" (MacGillis, Washington Post, 9/5). He added, "What the president can do is shine a spotlight on the process and (involve) the American people and keep the pressure on, and that is something that didn't happen. In many ways it didn't happen in '93."

Clinton campaign spokesperson Blake Zeff, said, "It's unfortunate that Sen. Obama is abandoning the politics of hope for the politics of attack" (Haberman, New York Post, 9/6).

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