Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards will be in Iowa this weekend to talk about his health care proposal. "I’m the first presidential candidate to lay out a detailed, truly universal health care plan," Edwards says. Edwards outlined the details this week during a telephone interview with Radio Iowa.
According to Edwards, his plan requires "shared responsibility" which forces businesses to either provide health care benefits, or pay the government a fee to provide the coverage. Edwards would set up what he calls "health markets" to give Americans a variety of choices as to what kind of insurance product their might want. And, he would have the government subsidize coverage for low- and even some middle-income Americans.
Ultimately, though, Edwards said it all could lead to a "single payer" system whereby the government handles, or pays for everything. Edwards said every Democratic presidential candidate needs to put forward a health care reform proposal. "I didn’t wait. I got out early and I’m hoping I’ll push the other candidates to coming forward with a health care plan," Edwards said.
"I think if the voters in Iowa see a clear stance and a clear plan as opposed to just rhetoric, I think they’ll respond." Edwards will deliver the keynote speech at Scott County Democrats’ banquet on tonight in Davenport. On Sunday afternoon at one o’clock, Edwards will speak about health care reform at a town hall meeting at the Grand River Center in Dubuque.