Kasich signs health care pledge

Republican candidate John Kasich today became the first to sign a CatholicHealth Association pledge to “make accessible and affordable health care forall a priority goal” if he’s elected president. Kasich says the workingpoor are often forced to decide to use their insurance payments for othernecessities.According to the Catholic Health Association, 44 million Americans do NOThave health care insurance — that’s roughly equal to the population ofIowa and the nine surrounding states. Kasich favors a “market-oriented” fixrather than government mandates, but he isn’t ready to offer his own healthcare reform plan yet.Kasich says he’ll focus on changes in medicare — the system for America’selderly — as well as major insurance reform. Kasich, a congressman fromOhio, is chairman of the House Budget Committee.