Finally! A candidate with specifics.

Yes, it is still early in the presidential race (earlier than usual) but there is one candidate that has finally gone beyond the "we need universal health care" speech to actually provide specifics regarding how to go about insuring the uninsured --presidential hopeful John Edwards.

According to the Op-Ed by Paul Krugman in the New York Times, "Edwards Gets It Right," Mr. Edward's health care plan has "extra features" that "take it a lot closer to what the country really needs."

Thank goodness!

His plan incorporates those of others—such as Gov. Schwarzenegger's health care plan in California—but goes several steps further.

• A "community rating" on insurers will basically require the insurance companies to sell insurance to everyone at the same price (thus eliminating covering only healthy people)
• Low income families will be given financial aid to buy insurance. Rolling back tax cuts for those households with income over $200K will pay for this aid.
• All American residents will be required to get insurance (thus eliminating the high costs due to frequent visits to the emergency room--- when preventative treatment would have worked).
• There would be a "Health Markets" (run by the government) established through which those who do not receive insurance from their employers can purchase insurance without having to deal directly with the insurance companies themselves. In essence, these "Health Markets" will negotiate with the insurance companies on the public's behalf – which will reduce overhead and marketing, thus making the insurance more affordable. With cheaper public insurance plans available, private insurers will need to lower their premiums in order to compete and not lose customers.

EXCELLENT!

Now we need to hear the specific plans of the other candidates.