Election Poses Stark Choice in Health Care

This Election, A Stark Choice in Health Care by Abby Goodnough and Robert Pear.  The New York Times.  October 10, 2012.

The most obvious choice is between a move toward universal coverage (Obama) or an emphasis cost reduction (Romney).  However significant choices face Medicaid and Medicare.  With Medicaid President Obama would expand the program as part of his move toward universal coverage.  Governor Romney would effectively shrink Medicaid by giving the states a fixed amount to cover the disadvantaged along with more control.  Under Obama Medicare would retain its basic current structure along with more efforts to reign in costs, often with cuts to providers.  Under Romney, Medicare would eventually evolve into giving each beneficiary a fixed amount to purchase coverage under Medicare or from private insurance.  The article fills in details of the competing approaches.