Question 7

Lindsey Trella - Should health care be treated as a commodity?

BO: Everyone talks about this issue. Premiums have doubled, co-pays have risen. We have a moral commitment as well as an economic imperative to deal with this. If you have health care, you can keep your plan. We are going to work with your employer to reduce premiums by $2500. Prevention, computerization, does the health insurance cost thing again as Biden did in his debate.

JM: Fundamental difference. He starts talking about government. He'll impose mandates. He'll fine you as a small employer if you don't do what he wants. $5k refundable tax credit, take it across state lines - do the math: those who have employer based health benefits come out ahead - 95% of Americans will have more money to get health insurance. We have to give people choice, not mandates - go JM! He's doing a fine job. We have to give them the wherewithal to get the insurance of their choice.

TB: Is health care a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?

JM: Responsibility - not for mandates of the kind that BO wants or you are going to get fined.

BO: A right. People who are going bankrupt b/c of health bills. Mentions mother dying of cancer at age 53. If you have a health care plan you like, you keep it. Small businesses won't have a mandate. Children have to have health care - don't want them going to ER for asthma (Angela scoffed at that - sometimes they need to!). Crack down on insurance companies. State by state? Insurance companies will go to states and rip you off, basically.

JM: Did we hear the size of the fine?