Kerry Lays Out New Healthcare Plan, Blasts Bush’s Strategy
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 – Sen. John F. Kerry declared America “can do better” Thursday while calling for health care for all children up to age 21 in his first major speech since his failed bid for the presidency.
The Massachusetts Democrat focused on his health care plan during a keynote luncheon address at the Families USA annual grassroots conference, calling President George W. Bush’s strategy a “cradle-to-grave irresponsibility plan” and taking numerous jabs at the president’s agenda.
“In the United States we shouldn’t have to rely on a faith-based initiative for health care, we should rely on real health care,” Sen. Kerry said in his speech before the national nonprofit, non-partisan organization.
President Bush spent Thursday in Cleveland discussing ways to reduce medication mistakes and lower costs by using more computer technology for medical records rather than using hand-written prescriptions or paperwork.
“Today the president is in Ohio addressing health care, but his effort is the same window dressing, the same avoidance of reality that we’ve seen through the last four years,” Sen. Kerry said.
The senator’s speech was filled with references to the November election, and he opened with a joke about his return to the Senate.
“I must say I had to travel a few more blocks than I would have liked to get here,” he said. The conference was at the Mayflower Hotel, only five blocks north of the White House.
But Sen. Kerry was quick to jump into his proposed health care bill, called the Kids First Act, which would expand Medicaid and send money back to the states through a comprehensive plan the senator fought for during his presidential campaign.
“That issue did not disappear on Nov. 2,” Sen. Kerry said. “It is as important today as it was then.”
Sen. Kerry said his bill, which was unveiled Monday, would help reduce rates of avoidable hospitalizations by 22 percent, and would “not add to the debt of this nation which is now being piled on kids.” Sen. Kerry’s plan would require parents to insure all children under 19 and would redefine child coverage under Medicaid, moving the age of eligibility up to 21. The federal government would pay for the entire Medicaid coverage costs for those under 21 in families with incomes below or at poverty level, absorbing what states currently pay. The states would then be encouraged to pay for children living in families with an income below about $47,000 and above the poverty line. According to Sen. Kerry this would save the states more than $10 billion each year.
Under Sen. Kerry’s plan, parents who fail to insure their children would not be able to claim the child tax credit on their federal tax returns. Parents would be able to purchase insurance through public programs at cost. “We ask people with a driver’s license to get their car insured,” Sen. Kerry said. “We ought to ask parents who can afford it to get their kids insured.”
Sen. Kerry also said he will later introduce legislation for comprehensive health care for all people, but said he plans to begin with children and see his legislation through regardless of the Republican-controlled Congress.
Lunar Lucky, 74, said she was happy to hear Sen. Kerry for the first time, calling his speech “motivational.”
Ms. Lucky, of Roanoke, Va., said she believed Sen. Kerry’s plan was dependent upon people in the community rather than politicians.
“If the grassroots will push that plan we’ve got it,” said Ms. Lucky, who works on the steering committee for Just Children, an organization that works with disadvantaged children in Charlottesville, Va.
Anne Joseph of Lexington, Ky., said she believed Sen. Kerry spoke about one of the nation’s biggest problems.
Ms. Joseph, who works for the Kentucky Task Force on Hunger, said the plan “probably is appropriate for this point in time.”
Some audience members agreed with Sen. Kerry’s message, but not the way he gave it.
Nancy Buratto, of New Orleans, said she thought Sen. Kerry’s speech was “rhetorical.” But Ms. Buratto, a 38-year-old who works with the Agenda For Children, said she was happy he proposed legislature so quickly after losing the election.
Geraldine Henrich, a spokeswoman for the private, nonpartisan Families USA, said she was unsure when Sen. Kerry was invited to speak at the conference, although she was pleased with his speech.
Democratic Sens. Hilary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois also spoke at the 10 th annual conference.
According to Kerry’s Senate website the plan has received endorsements from several organizations, including Families USA, the March of Dimes, the National Association of Children’s Hospitals, the National Association of Community Health Centers and the United Auto Workers.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the senior Massachusetts Democrat, cosponsored the bill, but was unavailable for comment.
The 30-minute speech received three standing ovations and numerous burst of applause, at times appearing reminiscent of a campaign address as Sen. Kerry spent time shaking hands and posing for photos with audience members.
But when asked after the speech if he would run again, Sen. Kerry was quick to answer.
“It’s way too early,” he said.
