John Edwards on Health Care

Edwards was the first candidate to announce his health plan, which would mandate health insurance for all Americans. He proposes a plan that would share responsibility between businesses, families, and governments. Edwards says he would finance his plan, which he expects would cost between $90-$120 billion, by rolling back President Bush's tax cut on those who make over $250,000. Edwards also says it will be necessary to confront drug and insurance companies and their lobbyists, to stop them from blocking universal health care.

Health Insurance: Private/Government

• Require a universal portable health care plan with the help of businesses.
• Offer Americans a choice between public or private insurance plans.
• Establish health insurance tax credits.
• Require all Americans to be insured by 2012.

Medical Costs

• Create "Health Care Markets" regionally that, according to his campaign web site, would give Americans more bargaining power to buy insurance. The increased choices would help cut costs.
• Establish transparency, helping patients to compare doctors' and hospitals' prices.
• Lower costs by putting an emphasis on prevention, and help patients and providers manage chronic illnesses and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.
• Adopt electronic medical records, which his campaign site claims could help save as much as $162 billion a year.
• Allow reimportation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

Health Savings Accounts

• Currently not addressed in his platform.

Drugs: Costs/Importation

• Supports importing "safe" prescription drugs from Canada.