Romney Talks Health Care
Republican presidential candidate visits children's hospital in Florida
Kid Reporter Charlotte Samson with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at a campaign event in St. Petersburg, Florida, on November 27, 2007. (Photo courtesy Charlotte Samson)
By Charlotte Samson
Scholastic Kid Reporter
What worked for health care in Massachusetts could work for the rest of the country, said the state's former Governor, Mitt Romney. On Nov. 27, the Republican presidential candidate visited All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida to talk about his health care plan. He was in town early for the Nov. 28 CNN/YouTube debate among Republican candidates.
Romney said health care is one of the most important issues in this campaign, especially in Florida. More than 3.7 million people in Florida are uninsured, according to the Census Bureau. That's 21 percent of the population—higher than the national average of 16 percent. Health insurance for children is a critical part of his plan.
"I'm in this race because I do want to get health care for all our citizens, and I want every kid to have insurance," he said in response to a question by a Scholastic News reader.
Not everyone thinks his Massachusetts plan is working for that state. Opponents have criticized the new Massachusetts law that requires people to sign up for mandatory health insurance or face penalties.
Romney pointed out that with deadlines to sign up approaching, many are buying insurance, and the number of uninsured is dropping rapidly.
In his speech before an audience of physicians and health care specialists, Romney described how he and his team came up with that plan. He also talked about how it could be a model for other states to study and build upon.
"You know more about health care than I do," Romney said. He applauded the medical professionals for their work and said he was impressed with the "spirit of optimism and encouragement" at the hospital.
His job as President, he added, would not be to tell hospitals or states how to run health care. His plan is to share with them his experience and that of other states, "so that every [place] could make better decisions" about their own health care system.
Debbie Hammack, vice president, human resources at All Children's Hospital, liked what she heard.
"If it worked in Massachusetts or other parts of the country, then it's worth seriously taking a look at," Hammack said. "We definitely need to do something to help take care of the children."
Cindy Rose hopes Romney is just the first of several candidates who visit the hospital. She is the head of marketing for All Children's Hospital. "We're a non-profit hospital," she said. "We would like to educate all the candidates as to what's important from a children's health care standpoint."
What postion do you think the presidential candidates should take on the issue of providing health care for more children who need it? Raise your voice here .
Scholastic Kid Reporters are on the campaign trail. Keep up with the latest election news in this special report.
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