Barack Obama’s health care plan “would leave 15 million Americans out.”
Obama’s plan would leave out some, but nobody knows how many
Hillary Clinton attacked Barack Obama’s health care plan at a debate, saying it “would leave 15 million Americans out.”
Clinton is right in her broader point that Obama’s plan does not include a mandate for people to have health insurance, as hers does. He believes his plan would lower health care costs enough that most of the 47 million Americans without coverage would be able to find a plan they could afford.
But with no mandate, some people would inevitably go without coverage. But how many? Clinton says 15 million; health care experts it’s impossible to come up with a reliable number without more details on Obama’s plan.
Clinton’s 15 million number could be a reasonable estimate — it’s 30 percent of those currently without insurance — but it’s at best a guess. For that we reason, we rate her claim half true.
Our Sources
CNN via The New York Times, Democratic Debate transcript, Nov. 15, 2007.
The New Republic via CBS News, Cautious Candidate, Cautious Plan, June 3, 2007.
Hillary Clinton campaign, Health Care Plan.
Barack Obama campaign, Health Care Plan.
Interview with Sara Collins, assistant vice president of The Commonwealth Fund.
Factcheck.org, Clinton vs. Obama, Nov. 16, 2007.
New Hampshire Public Radio, Interview with Barack Obama, Nov.21 2007.
Lowell Sun (Massachusetts), "For some, health-insurance reform not so affordable," August 26, 2007.
Boston Business Journal, Thousands balk at health law sign-up mandate, November 12, 2007.
