Rudy Giuliani

Political Analysis Of Health Delivery Systems Proposed

Introduction

With elections just around the corner, there are key issues that have received a lot of attention from various presidential candidates.  Such key issues include educational reforms, environmental/ energy reforms, Social Security, The war in Iraq, budget and taxes issues, Health reform and many others. Critics have claimed that most health care reforms are quite similar. But this essay will attempt to shed light into the differences that exist between proposals made by Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani.

Health Care proposals summarized

Rudy Giuliani has made twelve commitments that he will focus on during his presidential tenure if elected. Two of these issues are health related. The candidate asserts that he will give increase control in healthcare; he also claims that he will make health care affordable. Interesting to note is the fact that he also talks about portable health care where he plans on making if free for most people.

Hillary Clinton talks about a plan called ‘American Health Choices'. This plan emphasizes accessibility to health care by all Americans. (New York Times, 2007) She asserts that this will be achieved by making health insurance more affordable. It will be done by offering tax credits to those who may not be able to afford coverage. The groups that will access tax credits include families and small businesses. She also talks about restricting insurers who may deny consumers coverage because of health conditions that existed before they asked for coverage. She also promises more accessibility even to those who change jobs.  She explains that this Health Care plan will work by reducing costs paid and improving nature of service. She also places responsibility on employers to cover insurance costs for all their employees. These increased costs will be offset by increasing tax cuts to certain categories of people.

Key elements of proposals

Hillary Clinton unveiled her health platform in the month of May 2007. There were five key elements that were highlighted at that time. First of all, the candidate talked about dealing with preventable diseases. She claims that this will go a long way in reducing health care costs because most of people asking for coverage were suffering form diseases that could have prevented, these include diabetes. Health costs have been a concern by the senator especially because she feels that there are other countries in the world that make less than what the US makes but they can still be able to afford health care for their citizens, She also stresses that there is a huge sum of investment in the health insurance sector but the returns on these investments are quite minimal. Besides reducing costs, dealing with preventable diseases will reduce health care outcomes.

Clinton also proposes increasing the level of computerization in medical systems. She says that by improving the way the system handles records and other useful data in the medical field, then the quality of health care provided will be improved since efficiency will have been dealt with. On top of this, the presidential candidate talks about tackling health care for those who are chronically ill. This will be achieved by increasing availability of care to them. In line with improving the quality of health care in the country she has suggested the institution of standards to be used in ascertaining that quality of health care is satisfactory. (Green Party, 2008)

One of the issues that have received a lot of emphasis by the candidate is the issue of eliminating discrimination in the field of medicine. She promises that all people will receive coverage even if they have preexisting conditions. Coverage will also be provided to those who may have changed from one area of employment to another.

The candidate also talks about making the re-importation of prescription drugs legal. There is also the need to lower prices offered by Medicare. In line with this, the candidate also emphasizes the issue of implementing changes that are ‘common sense' within the healthcare system.

Recipients of Hillary Clinton's proposals

The health care system proposed by Clinton will apply to those who have pre existing conditions. It will also benefit members who have switched jobs and those suffering from diseases like diabetes or those that are preventable in nature. Lastly, it will benefit those in need of prescription drugs

There will also be some other parties that could benefit from such a proposal even if it will be indirectly. The first group is comprised of health insurers. They will be making more profits because more people will be contributing towards their services. Therefore, executives taking care of health care will benefit tremendously; the same applies to HMOs. Generally, critics have claimed that Clinton's scheme is corporate friendly and it leaves the burden of funding on the shoulders of the public.

Sources of funding for Senator Clinton's proposals

Clinton asserts that the main source of funding for her health plan will be from tax returns. She believes that there is a possibility of readjusting the country's priorities in health insurance finances and this will be achieved through increasing the amounts taxed for high income earners i.e. those who will be getting more than a quarter of a million dollars. There will also be contributions from the business segment; this will be achieved by ensuring that employers contribute towards covering tax costs. Overly, the health plan proposed will be funded by the public. (Democrats, 2008)

Key elements in Giuliani' proposals

Giuliani steps away from the issue of socializing reforms in the health care sector. He asserts that there should be free market solutions to problems encountered in the health care system currently. He emphasizes that there will be more choice of health insurance; consumers will be expected to get insurance coverage for only major cases then the minor expense will be up to them. He also suggests that there will be increased use of IT in the health care system to reduce errors and also to work on the quality of services provided.

Giuliani also accommodates low income earners in his proposal. This is achieved by provision of insurance credit to families of this nature or to individuals earning low amounts. He will also allow those who want to retain their current insurance schemes to do so. Besides this, there will be a provision for those who feel that they require insurance outside of the country. He explains that this will made more affordable and will therefore ease coverage for those citizens. (Oval office, 2008)

Giuliani also asserts that there will be increased transparency when it comes to the prices charged for health care services. This will go a long way to eliminate cases of poor accountability. He says that this will be achieved by giving patients information regarding how many different types of insurers charge for their services and also how much other providers in the industry require.

The candidate also talks about increasing the accessibility of savings to those who would want to prepare for their health schemes. This will be facilitated by the elimination of taxes normally imposed on savings. He has placed a limit of fifteen thousand dollars for families and seven thousand five hundred for singles as the maximum amount that can be saved for health insurance without being taxed.

Giuliani also talks about the level of availability of drugs in the area. He asserts that there should be less bureaucracy in the approval of drugs by the FDA. This will go a long way in eliminating cases of lost lives or reducing the amount of time spent waiting before patients can access treatment. (Boston herald, 2008)

Sources of funding for Giuliani's proposal

Giuliani will have a tax reduction of fifteen thousand dollars for those who have their own businesses or those who may be working under someone. There is an exception for singles as they will de deducted a total sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars. All the above will apply to those who do not have medical insurance from their seniors. This will be in order to buy health insurance and to ensure that there are additional resources in the sector. Besides this, he suggests that tax incentives will be readjusted to take of the health care plan. On top of that there will be block grants to cater for improvement of services as has been proposed in the health proposal

Main beneficiaries of Giuliani's proposal

The first group that will benefit from Giuliani's proposal is comprised of low income earners. This is because he will provide a tax credit for them of up to $15,000. Patients requiring prescription drugs will also benefit because long procedures will be eliminated.

Perceived strengths and weaknesses of each platform

The main strength on Clinton's suggestion is that there will be more accessibility. She talks bout the universality element. Those who had previously been discriminated against will now have a chance to access health care.

However, this proposal has been criticized for being highly corporate friendly. The main gist behind it is that the tax payer will have to bear costs while insurance providers and other health providers will benefit. Such critics have suggested that what America needs is a single payer system like the one in use in Canada. This means that the federal States will be the ones providing coverage rather than the public. It has been suggested that if the US adopts such a system then they will spend about a half of what they will spend using Clinton's proposals. Others have also claimed that her proposal is vaguely defined. Others have also added that people with preexisting conditions were not discriminated against; they were simply made to wait for a certain period. Many have also claimed by implementing coverage for preexisting conditions, there will be need for a universal coverage system where patients do not wait until they are sick to be covered; this will be a very daunting task.

The main strength with Giuliani's proposal is that there will be free markets in health care. Therefore consumers will be informed and they will also have more choice in the sector. However, critics have claimed that offering tax credits is not the way to go because in essence those who do not receive tax credits are there ones who fill up those gaps created. (Webmd, 2008)

Major differences compared to current health care delivery system

Giuliani's main difference is that he will be offering tax credits to low income earners, currently; this is not a system that is in place. He will also be offering more choice to consumers because they will now be able to choose which insurance payment to pay and which ones to discard. Presently, there is minimal information regarding prices offered all over the country. Overly, he suggests the use of free markets to ensure better health care in the US.

Clinton's major difference with current health care system is the issue of universality. She emphasizes that no one will be discriminated against even when they have preexisting conditions. Another difference between the proposal and current systems is that there will be more contribution from the public as compared to current payments.

Conclusion

Clinton being a democrat has emphasized the issue of universality in her health proposal; this is the reason why she talks about the elimination of discrimination Giuliani emphasizes the issue of free markets to solve health care's problems. This is the republican point of view.

Reference

Webmd (2008): Rudy Giuliani on Health Care; retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/election2008/cp-rudy-giulian accessed on 29th January 2008

Democrats (2008): health care reform proposals from the democratic candidates; retrieved from http://www.gohealthinsurance.com/politics/democrats.htm accessed on 29th January 2008

New York Times (2007): Wary of Past, Clinton Unveils a Health Plan; retrieved from

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/us/politics/18clinton.htm accessed on 29th January 2008

Boston herald (2008): Key issues in Giuliani's campaign; retrieved from http://www.joinrudy2008.com accessed on 29th January 2008

Oval office (2008): Giuliani Health Care Proposal; retrieved from http://www.ovaloffice2008.com/2007/07/giuliani-health-care-proposal.htm accessed on 29th January 2008

Green Party (2008): Clinton and Democrats are obstacles to real health are reforms; retrieved from http://www.gp.org/index.shtm accessed on 29th January 2008

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