Universal Coverage: Avoid Big Promises on Healthcare

Conservatives and Republicans need to think through alternative proposals. But let’s avoid, however, big, sweeping promises – like insuring everyone.

Tens of millions of Americans lack health insurance. Extending coverage to them has been a core goal of health reform proposals since the 1960s. President Richard Nixon offered a universal health plan in his first administration, but since then Republicans have hesitated to commit the nation to so costly an undertaking. Is it time to rethink? Should Republicans accept universal coverage as a goal?  We posed this question to NewMajority's contributors.

Republicans must be amazed at their good fortune.

Just this spring, the party seemed exhausted and sidelined.

Today, the President’s approval rating has sunk below 50%, House Republicans seem poised to make gains next year, and even the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, is in for a tough re-election fight.

The party has done all this without once clarifying its exact position on Obamacare.  There isn’t just one alternative plan, there are five, maybe six.  And the GOP has gained support with a diverse (and volatile) coalition that includes seniors opposed to Medicare cuts, libertarians opposed to government expansion, and alarmists opposed to, well, much of everything.

With all this in mind, here’s a big question: should the party have any position on health reform other than simply opposing the Democrats?

Many have suggested a parallel between the 2009 Democratic effort and that of 1994.  And here’s my warning: Democrats may be heading for a similar embarrassment.  Republicans, though, need to avoid their own missteps.

Those missteps came after Hillarycare fell apart.  Rather than capitalize on an opportunity to reform American healthcare, the party focused on other issues.  The push of 2009 is as much because of the failure of Hillarycare as it is because of the failure of Newt’s GOP to put something in its place.

So, yes, conservatives and Republicans need to think through alternative proposals.

Let’s avoid, however, big, sweeping promises – like insuring everyone.

If anything, we’ve learned over the past 8 months, it’s this: health reform is complicated.  Let’s promote small, meaningful steps that will make healthcare better and more affordable.  And, yes, let’s also push at covering more Americans.

To read other contributions to this symposium, click here.