The following a 60-second ad released in Iowa by 'John McCain's Campaign and cited by the
Associate Press.
I’d like to give some
comment on the issues raised in the ad.
SCRIPT: McCain: "The problem with health care in
America is not
the quality of health care, it's the availability and the affordability. And
that has to do with the dramatic increase in the cost of health care.
"Let's give every American family a $5,000 refundable tax credit so
that they can go out across state lines and get the insurance policy that suits
them best.
"I can characterize my approach on health care by choice and
competition, affordability and availability.
"We need community health centers. We need walk-in clinics. We
understand that emergency room care is the most expensive in
America.
"There's many, many solutions to this problem. I think we can address
them. The fundamental problem is not the quality of health care; it's the cost
of health care. So health care must be made affordable and available.
"I'm John McCain, and I approve this message."
There are many millions of Americans with health insurance and it is a good
thing to give them some basic insurance.
But the quality of health care is still an important issue. In the
U.S., an
average of $7300 per capita, likely the most expensive in the world, is spent
each year on health care, but the quality is not comparable to that in other
developed countries, according to some studies.
Giving tax credit for people who have purchased health insurance is the best
a politician can do because this not only pleases voters, but also insurance
companies, which are the ultimate recipient of the tax credit.
Following a healthy diet and lifestyle can prevent lots of diseases and
reduce cost for health care. But I did not hear any word from presidential
candidates including McCain that any of them would propose to give come
monetary incentives to those who follow a healthy lifestyle and thus avoid many
chronic diseases.
Health insurance helps many people, but the fundamental insurance lies in a
healthy lifestyle, which benefits each and every citizen.