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By Jody Hoffman and Patrice Stanley, Wexler & Walker PPA
The US electorate consistently ranks health care as the second most important issue for the 2008 Presidential candidates to address (Iraq ranks as the number one issue). The Kaiser Family Foundation October 2007 national polls explore the component(s) of health care constituents want addressed most. The poll found that Republicans identify health care costs while Democrats identify health care coverage as the most important concern. As in the 1992 Presidential elections, declining confidence in the economy combined with both rising health care costs and difficulty obtaining insurance that makes health care affordable brings to the forefront of public concern the vital role of health care to family well being (both for health and financial status).
Predictably, the Presidential candidates' proposals focus on the issue of most concern to their party’s base. Democrat candidates emphasize availability of insurance and Republican candidates emphasize market forces to control health cost increase. In the chart below, each of the major candidates proposals for health care are summarized in a side by side analysis. Interestingly, most of the proposals, regardless of party affiliation, propose advancing establishment of information technology and the efficiencies and improved quality of care that information digitization may bring to the delivery of health care.