BROADCASTS.com

b"With Laura Adams, Senior Insurance Analyst for insuranceQuotes.com
Clinton vs Trump: The prize-fighting atmosphere of this year\\u2019s presidential election process has two opponents glowering at each other from either side of the ring, diametrically opposed in nearly every area. The winner will be determined by either a knock-out margin or a close call. Whomever that victor is, you can be assured that one of the major platform items to be addressed, and one that affects all Americans profoundly, will be healthcare.
Laura Adams, a personal finance expert and senior insurance analyst for insurancequotes.com has great insight into the ideas and proposals of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on this critically important issue.
Simplistically, Donald Trump favors the repeal of Obamacare and Hillary Clinton wants to tweak and expand it.
Before examining the two varying positions, Laura points out that before either candidate can affect change to our healthcare system, there are countless complex laws and regulations on a state-to-state basis that come into play with many of the insurance carriers. In addition to that hurdle, any change or even dissolution of Obamacare must have the support of Congress.
Bear in mind, Laura says, that if Trump is elected and the Republicans retain control of the Congress, probably nothing would block a repeal; however, if the opposite occurs and the Democrats are in control, it\\u2019s a different game altogether.
The reality is that higher insurance premiums are expected for next year, largely due to a lack of competition in some areas of the country, but also because of prescription drug costs and a rise in the cost of living. On the positive side, Obamacare has eliminated pre-existing conditions as an exclusionary factor and the percentage of people in the US who are insured is now above 90%, the highest ever. In spite of that, the negatives can\\u2019t be ignored. Costs must come down without compromising quality of care and availability for all. One major problem with Obamacare has been the refusal of young people to opt in\\u2014whether because of financial concerns or a sense of invincibility. The theory was that the younger, healthier population paying in would balance out the older, sicker people who place the most weight on the healthcare system.
Beyond his insistence that he favors the repeal of Obamacare, Donald Trump hasn\\u2019t spelled out his healthcare policy in much detail beyond stating that it would be \\u201csomething much better\\u201d.
Laura goes on to say that, \\u201cHe has said that he would look at insurance more on a federal basis rather than a state basis, so he's talking about not letting insurance companies compete state-to-state, not letting an insurer say, \\u2018Okay, I'm going to do business in North Dakota, but I'm not going to do business in South Dakota,\\u2019 and breaking up those state lines would sort of level the playing field with competition.\\xa0 That's really about as specific as he's gotten.\\u201d
Trump also said he would save $11 billion by taking immigrants out of the system, would exempt health savings account from taxes, and would mandate doctors and hospitals to offer more transparent prices.\\xa0 Laura adds that to her, this sounds like the free-trade system we had in past and that didn\\u2019t work very well.
Hillary Clinton then would expand and fine-tune Obamacare by decreasing costs and placing caps on prescription drugs and premium increases. In addition, she would expand Medicare in those states that had chosen to not expand it. This idea is primarily for those consumers who don\\u2019t qualify for Obamacare because they earn too much, placing them in a sort of rock-and-a-hard-place position\\u2014they can\\u2019t afford insurance company premiums and they don\\u2019t qualify for Medicaid.
She would also lower the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 55,"