Senator Obama is on top of his game about health care during tonight’s debate. His continual reference to health care issues shows the importance he places on improving access and reducing costs.

In response to the first question, the very first example he gave of a wasteful federal program involved health spending. Senator Obama said that he would cut the overpayment by Medicare to private insurance companies that don’t do any better for Medicare beneficiaries. The overpayments to Medicare HMOs have been well documented by MedPAC, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, among other organizations, all of which recommend the cuts Obama mentioned. See, http://www.cbpp.org/5-13-08health.htm.

Senator McCain did not give such a concrete response, preferring to cut everything across the board. McCain wouldn’t say he will cut payments to insurance company because his health plan makes payments directly to insurance companies.

Senator Obama says we need to control health care costs and expand access – despite the current economic situation. His proposal allows people to keep the insurance they have while lowering costs of premiums. He creates insurance mechanisms for people who don’t have other insurance.

Senator McCain rests on his idea of giving everyone a tax credit that they can use anywhere in the country. He doesn’t get that his tax credit won’t be enough to pay for the health insurance that most people need. He doesn’t get that by allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines, the insurance companies can avoid the protections existing in state law for people with chronic conditions.

Senator McCain’s debate responses show that he does not understand the health care issues that Americans face. His repeated misstatements about the Obama plan, even after Senator Obama corrected him, shows that he is more concerned about the ideology of the private market than in improving health care.