Healthcare Plan

I was quite impressed by a friend's argument against McCain's healthcare plan. He pointed out that, sure, McCain would allow people to shop around for cheaper insurance alternatives, but insurance agencies will not be willing to pick up those with pre-existing illnesses. He also brought up the argument that employers will cease to cover employees if employers were taxed to fund the McCain plan. Finally he argued that the uninsured population abuses emergency department visits, thus driving up costs for the public and hospitals. He proposes that with universal coverage would remove one reason they are inclined to visit the ED. Both candidates plan to increase the number clinics to improve preventative care and field non-emergent complaints. Even so there are several free clinics already available through county systems; yet the ED still is swamped with visits.

Nonetheless a question continued to linger was how could Obama pay for his version of universal healthcare. Faulty implementation has become a motif in Wall Street Journal's criticism of Obama's weak economic plans which appears to draw heavily upon "unverifiable" sources. One article showed that his own economic advisors have even up to 4 months ago admittedly advocated a McCain-like plan and that "Mr. Obama has offered no clue as to how he intends to pay for his health-insurance plans, or doubling foreign aid, or any of the other 175 programs he's promised to expand."

Addendum
Apparently McCain's plan actually accounts for those with pre-existing illnesses. His healthcare plan would fund insurance for those who have been rejected by an insurance company, i.e. those at highest risk.