Kerry Battling Bush on Health Care Plan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4760207,00.html

Kerry Battling Bush on Health Care Plan

Thursday January 27, 2005 5:01 PM


By LOLITA C. BALDOR

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. John Kerry hasn't gone away quietly. In his first major speech since conceding the presidential election, the Massachusetts Democrat took aim at President Bush's health care proposals on Thursday, saying they were irresponsible and won't meet the needs of children and low-income families who don't have health coverage.

Going head to head with Bush, who was unveiling his plan for computerized medical records at about the same time, Kerry criticized the administration's failure to negotiate drug prices or consider drug reimportation.

``That's how the president who promised to usher in a 'responsibility era' proposes to deal with a real health care crisis, even as he seeks to gin up a phony crisis in Social Security,'' said Kerry, in remarks prepared for delivery to the nonprofit consumer group Families USA. ``It sounds like a cradle-to-grave irresponsibility plan to me.''

Bush also has been promoting plans for health savings accounts, which Kerry opposes. <snip>