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WASHINGTON — When Hillary Clinton came out with her highly publicized national health care plan this week, Gov. Bill Richardson found little ground to criticize his rival for the Democratic nod for president.
To Richardson, the New York senator's plan looked a lot like the one he announced Aug. 7 in Council Bluffs, Iowa - to far less national media attention.
"I don't feel slighted," Richardson told reporters in Washington on Wednesday. Instead, he said he was glad Clinton adopted so many of the same initiatives.
Both plans would mandate that every American obtain health insurance.
Both plans would allow Americans to keep their employer-sponsored health insurance, or choose from the same menu of health care plans available to members of Congress and federal employees.
Those eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program or Veterans Affairs benefits could stay under those plans, too.
Both plans would subsidize premiums for those with low incomes.
Even the names are similar. Richardson called his "American Choices"; Clinton called hers "American Choices Plan."
One reason for the extra attention on Clinton, besides her leading position in the polls, is that she was the architect of President Clinton's failed health care reform plan.
Richardson did tweak Clinton when she announced her plan this week to big headlines, followed by a string of network interviews.
"I am pleased that Sen. Clinton finally has joined the debate," Richardson said. "I also am proud to see that she supports most of the initiatives I have outlined in my comprehensive proposal."
One key difference is that Clinton is proposing the creation of a new public insurance plan as one of the choices in order to provide competition to private insurance companies.
Instead, Richardson would allow people age 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare by paying a premium. Richardson's health care adviser Sarah Dash said this helps people who retire early but can't afford insurance on their own just at the time of life when doctors want to start screening for early detection of cancer and heart disease.
On the other end of the age spectrum, Richardson would require insurance companies to let young people remain under their parents' insurance through the age of 25.
Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama would also create a new public insurance plan as an alternative to private insurance. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards is proposing the creation of public plans for different regions of the country. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat, is proposing a government-run, single-payer plan similar to Canada's system.
Richardson doesn't want any new federal insurance programs.
"We have to build on a proven program that already works for every American instead of building a new bureaucracy," Richardson said about his plan at an appearance at a conference at George Washington University on the problem of obesity.
Richardson promised an aggressive set of policies to attack what he called the "quiet epidemic" of obesity. He touted his efforts in New Mexico to get junk food out of schools and physical education classes back in.
"When I am president, we will fight obesity every day," Richardson said.
Richardson says he has trimmed about 30 pounds since before the start of the campaign and exercises every day.
Richardson also pledged to seek changes to federal law to make it illegal for employers to discriminate against people who are obese. He was asked afterward whether agencies such as the police and fire departments and FBI should change their physical standards. Richardson said there would have to be exceptions to the law for "national security."
