CNN: US elections: Obama blasts McCain's health care plan as 'out of touch' - Obama's plan similar to Dutch insurance program says EU-Digest

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Obama blasts McCain's health care plan as 'out of touch' - "Obama's plan similar to Dutch insurance program says EU-Digest"

Obama, speaking at a rally in Newport News, Virginia, said it's not that McCain "doesn't care" about what people are going through, "I just think he doesn't know."

Obama's plan, meanwhile, would create a national health insurance program for individuals who do not have employer-provided health care and who do not qualify for other existing federal programs. The plan does not mandate individual coverage for all Americans but requires coverage for all children and allows individuals younger than 25 to be covered through their parents' plans. The plan also allows individuals to choose between the new public insurance program and private insurance plans that meet certain coverage standards. The Obama campaign Web site says the coverage would have benefits similar to those offered to Congress through the Federal Employees Benefits Program. The plan would expand eligibility for Medicaid and State's Children's Health Insurance Program. Obama estimates the cost at between $50 billion and $65 billion, to be paid for by eliminating President Bush's tax cuts for those earning more than $250,000. Obama said that the solution is to "take on drug and insurance companies, modernize our health care system for the 21st century, reduce costs for families and businesses and finally provide affordable, accessible health care for every American."

Note EU-Digest the plan proposed by Senator Obama is similar to the Netherlands insurance program which has been in effect for two years and is a joint venture between the private insurance industry and the government.