For the past year, I have been bombarded with all kinds of presidential election issues… which candidate lied about what, whose pastor said this, which delegate voted how, whose wife dresses the snazziest. I voted in the primary election, but my vote was based on who sweet talked me the best that day. I hadn’t given much thought to either candidates’ political platform. So as November nears, I think it is time for me to understand where the candidates stand.

Today I’ll look at Senator McCain’s health policy.

What’s the plan?

The plan is to control escalating health care cost.

Why Sen. McCain chose this position?

Controlling cost would unburden the Medicare and Medicaid systems making the sustainability of the programs viable for future generations. At the current pace, the systems would be an insurmountable financial stress by 2019. Also by controlling costs, the health insurance becomes more affordable for families.

Individuals should be in control of their own fates. This plan will give people more options in their selection of health insurance and medical service providers.

Medical providers would be conscientious in the quality of care because more patient options will stir competition.

How will Sen. McCain carry out the plan?

Insurance portability – when individuals change jobs or move across state line, their insurance plan can follow them.

Restructuring tax credit – rids credit for employer sponsored plan and shifts credit to individual household. Provides refundable tax credit of $2500 for individuals and $5000 for families.

Reduce prescription drug cost – increase competition by promoting the use of generic drugs.

Insurance accessibility – insurance would be available for purchase through various civic and professional organizations

Less expensive and more accessible medical care – encourages the delivery of medical service through retail health care clinics which use nurse practitioners as the primary care provider.

Rosy eyed optimism or real solution?

Political and policy analysts often compare McCain’s plan to Senator Obama’s plan. At some point, I will need to compare to compare the two. But first I want to look at McCain’s plan on its own merit (independent of how it stands up to Obama’s plan).

Offering individual tax credits to buy health insurance sounds good in theory. However every family will receive this credit… whether they use it to buy insurance or not is ignored. I do not think this will help decrease the number of uninsured. Most people are uninsured because they can’t afford the insurance premium. If financially strapped families are given $5000, the money is more likely to be used to satisfy immediate needs (such are food, utilities, housing, transportation) and less likely to spent buying protection for the what-ifs. And besides, health insurance costs a lot more than $5000.

Also offering this credit to every family in essence gives a subsidy to people who don’t need it. Most upper middle class and wealthy families don’t need a tax credit to buy health insurance.

By eliminating tax credit for employer sponsor plan, there would be no incentive for employees to purchase health insurance through their employers. This will result in decreased participation and prompt employers to drop these benefits. If employers drop benefits individuals will not only lose the advantage of sharing the cost of insurance with their employers, but they’ll also be forced to find coverage on their own.

Offering medical services through retail health care clinics sounds good on the surface. But there are no MDs at most of these clinics and the level of care is less comprehensive than that given at a regular doctor’s office. Also, most of these clinics are nested inside retail locations that also house pharmacies. Patients will be urged to fill prescriptions at those pharmacies. Though this may be the most convenient decision, it may not necessarily be the most economical.

While the principle behind the plan seems honorable, I’ll have to give its implications more thought before I cast my vote in November.