Hillary Clinton on Healthcare
Hillary Clinton maintains a consistent, long-term position supporting universal healthcare reform in the United States, viewing coverage as a fundamental right rather than a privilege for a select few. She has described addressing the nation's healthcare crisis and achieving affordable care for all Americans as central to her political priorities, famously calling the failure of healthcare reform in the early 1990s her biggest political regret. This enduring commitment underpins her subsequent policy proposals across different political eras.
More recently, Clinton's platform centered on defending and expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which she supported for covering millions. Key components of her stated goals included introducing a public-option insurance plan, allowing individuals aged 55 and older to buy into Medicare, and significantly reducing out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles and copays for families. She also committed to lowering the cost of prescription drugs, including capping monthly costs for patients with serious chronic conditions.
Her approach generally involves building upon the existing system, working with employers, and using federal mechanisms—like tax credits for small businesses and subsidies for individuals—to expand coverage rather than creating an entirely new federal bureaucracy. Furthermore, Hillary Clinton has advocated for protecting reproductive healthcare access and doubling funding for community health centers as part of her comprehensive healthcare agenda.
Timeline
- As First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton chaired the President's Task Force on Health Care, pushing for fundamental change to control soaring costs and provide security.
- During her first presidential campaign, she continued to advocate for a public-option insurance plan.
- Released her 2016 affordable healthcare and prescription drug platform.
- Announced specific additions to her healthcare platform for the 2016 general election.
Actions Taken
- Policy AdvocacyChaired the President's Task Force on Health Care, aiming to reform the system to guarantee comprehensive coverage for all Americans.
- Legislation SupportWorked across the aisle to help pass the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which subsequently covered millions of children.
Key Quotes
Health care should not be a privilege for a few, but a right for every single person. There are 47 million uninsured in this country, and covering them is a moral imperative.
My plan covers all Americans and improves health care by lowering costs and improving quality. It's a plan that works for America's families and America's businesses, while preserving consumer choices.
Comparison
- Vs. 1993 Effort: Her 2016 proposals emphasized simplicity, cost control, and individual consumer choice, in contrast to the complexity of the 1993 effort, though she noted the latter's failure was a major political regret.
- Vs. Republican/Opponent Views (2008): Opponents, including Mitt Romney, criticized her earlier plan as relying too heavily on government insurance, adding bureaucracy, and leading to tax hikes, while Clinton countered that her plan would be financed by reducing waste and closing specific tax loopholes.
Sources5
Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016/Healthcare - Ballotpedia
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.