I been working as health system economist, policy analyst etc for nearly 20 years. Obama's plan is Republican-Lite. Unfortunately, Hillary has been unable to communicate effectively in a 60-second soundbite slogan. But then it is complicated.

I have enormous number of issues, but, at its most simplistic, Obama's plan does little to address the HMOs or structure of the industry and how services are delivered.

All Obama's does is subsidise an extra portion of the US population, to have the same crap BS coverage the rest of the population (who have inadequate coverage) are already pissed about.

Clintons (and Edwards and other Dems), makes a start on industry regulation.

In other countries, where there is a "mixed" health insurance system, ie both public and private insurance sectors, the private health sector is heavily regulated by govt. eg. they can't discriminate, they must cover whoever asks for it, and can't play games on pre-existing conditions. Secondly, they are forced by law to underwrite each other, to protect themselves from unexpected large payouts (like other insurance companies do), and all their products and plans must adhere to nationally agreed clinical standards. In other OECD countries its called mandatory corporate 'risk-sharing' or 'funds pooling'. They have to place a percentage of their capital into a central/regional or State pool to cover each other.

The only way this works, is for everyone to be covered. Hence the mandate is critical.

The USA-based HMOs, have reached the max in fleecing the American population, and are now keen to expand into overseas markets. Many OECD countries are struggling desperately to "hold the line" on their own public health systems against the multinational insurgence.

Obama's plan helps this, just as much as Republican free-market capitalism, his plan just subisidises extra Americans to buy into it,
His scheme is all voluntary, optional on people, but especially on the HMOs (and the employers) being "encouraged" to "do the right thing".

Obama's is corporate welfare. Full stop.

Even such minimal "baby-step" regulation as Clinton and Co are proposing, will hurt the HMOs profits, and big employers I suspect too, as they have to report by law on their behaviour, they have to be accountable. Somebody bought out the US media this primary season, coz they sure as hell dont want the Clinton (and other Dems) plan.