Candidates Talk Health Care, But Not Their Own

Most GOP hopefuls keep mum on their personal coverage
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:52 PM CST
Candidates Talk Health Care, But Not Their Own
Republican presidential hopeful, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks about health care during a round table discussion in Manchester, N.H. Monday Oct. 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)   (Associated Press)

With health insurance heating up campaign trails, NPR takes a look at how the candidates are covered, and finds not all of them forthcoming. Sitting senators are eligible for a federal plan, which is good but no panacea—packed with co-pays and deductibles. John Edwards reports he and his family are covered through his campaign. But Romney, Huckabee, and Thompson declined to share details about their own coverage, or those of their staffs.

Rudy Giuliani did reveal that, like John McCain, his staff is covered through his campaign, as are employees of all Dems except cash-strapped Dennis Kucinich. One policy analyst said revealing personal details could shed light on plans for reform. Particularly of note is that three candidates—Rudy, Mac, and Fred Thompson—are cancer survivors, and might be unable to buy insurance in the current market. (More health care stories.)

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