Nisha Rajan, cringes slightly while Kyle Holloway, a University of New Mexico pharmacy student, gives her a flu shot in Santa Fe, N.M. Click the Play Button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: AP)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's no secret that the health care system in this country is a mess. Right now, there are almost 50 million people who have no health insurance at all and the costs of health care keep rising. A new study out this week even showed that 7% of Americans were willing to get married just so they could get their spouse's health care benefits.
Now, on the campaign trail, each of the three presidential candidates is telling us that his or her plan offers the best solution to the problem.
Both Democratic candidates want to move toward universal health care coverage. Hillary Clinton, who tried to tackle health care in 1992 and failed, is proposing an individual mandate requiring all Americans to sign up for health insurance. Obama doesn't go quite that far, but his plan requires coverage for all children. Both Democrats' plans build on the current employer-based system and impose new regulations on insurers. The Republican, John McCain, says these ideas are "inefficient" and "irrational." He is opposed to mandates and direct regulation. Instead, he favors using tax credits to draw workers away from company health plans. He says that would allow people to find cheaper insurance on their own, more tailored to their individual needs. This proposal was similar to one proposed by President Bush last year which flopped in Congress, failing to get even a committee hearing.
One other item not being talked about by any of the candidates is this: The current government health care plan, Medicare, represents tens of trillions of dollars in unfunded liability.
Here’s my question to you: How optimistic are you about the future of our health care system?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Mary from Alabama writes:
At almost 69, I am not at all optimistic over the future of health care. I have seen the hospital in the town I live in go from excellent to almost third world in less than three years. These are trying times in this country. After 8 years of the Bush-Cheney kingdom everything is down the tube.
Kim from Dodge City, Kansas writes:
I'm not at all optimistic. Until the government gets ‘Big Pharma’ under control and realizes that we are the only industrialized nation that has to pay these kind of prices for prescription drugs and medical treatment, there will never be a fundamental change in our health care system. As long as lobbying and kickbacks are legal, the health care field will remain rotten with corruption which means higher costs to the public.
Matt from Omaha, Nebraska writes:
I'm fairly optimistic because if it isn't now, our country's health care crisis will soon reach a critical tipping point and the mood of the country generally seems to be in favor of massive reform.
Ken writes:
No, as long as the slugs we call politicians keep supporting the health care industry instead of the American people nothing will change.
Mike from Syracuse, NY writes:
Jack,
I've tried to think of any initiative besides national defense where the national government has done a good job. I can't. A national health care system will become an expensive, bureaucratic mess. Whatever we do, we don't need another Social Security or Medicare monster.
Sandy from Ohio writes:
Right now, I find it hard to be optimistic about anything but I do have a small glimmer of hope. For many of my loved ones universal health care will come too late, I just hope it's not the same for me.