Just What's Needed

This is just what "Dr." Clinton prescribes. It's yet another huge entitlement program that will cost billions more than anyone ever envisioned that will redistribute wealth on a huge scale to tackle a problem that doesn't exist.

In her plan, Clinton said families would receive tax credits to help pay for coverage. The tax credit would be designed to limit the premiums to a percentage of a family's income.

Federal subsidies would be provided for those who are not able to afford insurance, and large businesses would be expected to provide or help pay for their employees' insurance.

Clinton said her plan would not require small businesses to take part, but will offer tax credits to encourage them to do so.

About 46.6 million people in the United States were without health care insurance in 2005, including 8.3 million children, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released last year.

How many of those are actually US citizens and not illegal aliens? If we take figures from the immigration debate, we could probably take anywhere from 25-50% of that figure off the top.

The problem in the US isn't accessibility to health care, but affordable insurance for those that don't already have insurance and want it. When you start getting government involved, it completely turns the market on its head and costs will do nothing but increase. That in turn, increases the costs for everyone involved, and the costs of health care increase across the board.

Despite claims to the contrary, such a program will put pressure on those businesses that already provide health insurance as part of their benefits packages to reconsider since they'll see that the government is already doing it for them - shifting the burden onto taxpayers who are already getting hit with the costs.

Then, there's the problem of using the tax code to influence habits. Since we're only getting a skeletal view of the plan, we have no idea of just how much of a tax credit we're talking about or who would be eligible for the credit. Adding still more complexity to the tax code will increase the burden on taxpayers further - increasing the time to complete tax returns, costs for tax preparation, etc.

How would Hillary pay for this program? She claims that if you eliminate the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000 and limit the amount employers can exclude from taxes for health care benefits paid for those making over $250,000, it would cover the costs.

That doesn't even begin to pass the smell test. It would set the stage for tax increases in the name of fiscal responsibility, which in turn will see spending spiral out of control.

This is a tax and spend program, and it will not deliver what is promised.