WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Lewin Group released an independent comparative analysis of the proposed McCain and Obama health care reform plans today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The report is posted on The Lewin Group Web site at http://www.lewin.com.
The firm is nationally known for its work in designing and evaluating
health care system reform proposals on coverage and costs for the federal
government, state governments, private employers and households. Key study
findings include:
1. Lewin projects that by 2010, there will be 48.9 million people without
health insurance under current law. The McCain health plan would reduce
the number of uninsured by 21.1 million people while the Obama plan would
reduce the number of uninsured by 26.6 million people.
2. Both plans result in large, new public costs for the federal government.
The McCain plan would cost $2.05 trillion over the 2010 through 2019
period. The Obama plan would result in a net federal cost of $1.17
trillion. Neither candidate provides specifics on how to fund this net
federal cost.
The candidates have decidedly different visions for the future of
health care in the U.S. The McCain plan focuses on expanding private
insurance coverage while the Obama plan would expand coverage under public
programs. Findings include:
1. The McCain plan increases private coverage by 26.5 million people by
providing refundable tax credits ($2,500 single; $5,000 family) for the
purchase of private insurance, including individuals purchasing non-group
coverage. Public coverage would fall under the McCain plan by 5.4 million
people as Medicaid enrollees become covered under private insurance.
2. The Obama plan increases the number of people with public insurance by
48.3 mill
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| SOURCE The Lewin Group Copyright©2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved |