Plan Isn't A Takeover, Despite Bush Claims

By John Amato — September 14, 2004

By William M. Welch, USA TODAY

•President Bush's charge: Taking aim at one of the Democrats' favorite issues, Bush charges that John Kerry's plan to improve health care coverage amounts to a federal takeover of the nation's health care system.

"A massive, complicated blueprint to have our government take over the decision-making in health care" was the way Bush described Kerry's plan this week. It would, Bush said, "have bureaucrats become the decision-makers."

•Democrats' response: Kerry structured his plan to extend health-insurance coverage to more Americans in a way intended to avoid just the charge Bush levels. He would make it easier for middle-income Americans to purchase private- insurance coverage and expand existing government programs providing coverage for children and the poor.

"All Kerry is saying is that the nation has a moral responsibility to make sure families have access to health care," said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. read on

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