The Principles Behind "Obamacare" and Republican Opposition

Howdy,
Today I will be discussing the main points that President Obama outlined in his healthcare reform bill, and the Republican opposition to the bill.

President Obama's main purpose in putting forth this bill is to provide coverage to tens of millions of Americans while "driving down health premiums and imposing...common sense rules of the road for insurers." These common sense rules are things like ending the refusal to insure those with pre-existing conditions (much like my mother). In addition, the government would also help support states in need of more Medicare funding.

Republicans oppose this, however, on the grounds that they would rather "rely more on the market and less on government." Republicans instead believe that offering tax incentives will make insurance coverage more affordable and consequently make it more available. This plan, however, will not provide coverage for nearly as many people as President Obama's plan. The Republican response is to allow insurance to sell across state lines, encouraging competition and driving down costs.

In summary, President Obama's plan to extend Health care coverage to more Americans calls for the government imposing rules on insurance companies and assisting states with Medicare, thus increasing the government's power, whereas Republicans plan to increase the power of insurance companies by allowing them to sell across state borders, hopefully leading to more competition between companies.

Thanks for Reading

Sources:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/health_insurance_and_managed_care/health_care_reform/index.html