Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Delivers Remarks at a Campaign Event in New Hampshire

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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Delivers Remarks at a Campaign Event in New Hampshire

SEN. CLINTON DELIVERS REMARKS AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT

AUGUST 23, 2007

SPEAKERS: SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, D-N.Y.

[*] (JOINED IN PROGRESS) CLINTON: ... achieve together. We have to reach that consensus among providers, employers, employees, citizens, those who pay for, depend upon and actually deliver health care services. And this consensus has to be strong enough to persuade decision-makers in Washington and to overcome entrenched opposition among the forces that oppose change for ideological and corporate reasons.

Now, the good news is that I think we finally are reaching consensus. I see businesses, labor, government and other stakeholders increasingly investing in quality care because they realize it's not only good for individuals and families, but it is also good for our economy.

We've begun to agree that there is an economic as well as a moral imperative to rein in costs and to extend coverage to all Americans. There's a practical imperative to improve quality, to promote wellness and prevent illness wherever possible.

And these are the key components of my health care plan: lowering costs for everyone, improving quality for everyone, and providing coverage for everyone.

I list them as three interlocking goals, because I think we cannot do one without doing all of them.

A few months ago I outlined my agenda to reduce health care costs, and today I want to talk about health care quality. And next month I will announce my plan for universal coverage.

My order here is deliberate. In order to forge a consensus on universal health care, we need to assure people that they'll get the quality they expect at a price they can afford. And my recommendations to control costs and ensure quality lay the groundwork for ensuring everyone.

Now, by all accounts, we already should have the highest quality health care in the world. Our doctors and nurses and other health care practitioners are among the best in the world. They have access to the most cutting-edge drugs and treatments and medical technologies. And we spend more money per capita on health care, almost $5,700, than any country in the world.

But we are far from having the best care. We're ranked 23rd in infant mortality and 42nd in life expectancy.

CLINTON: According to the 2006 survey by the Kaiser Family Found...

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