Kucinich blasts Clinton health plan

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential contender Dennis Kucinich said in a Las Vegas appearance he is not impressed with the health plan put forward by Hillary Clinton.

Rep. Kucinich, D-Ohio, said at his new Las Vegas campaign headquarters that the New York senator's health care plan is not different enough from the current system, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Tuesday.

"Same old same old," Kucinich said, in reference to the Clinton plan. "Look, with all due respect to Senator Clinton, she's talking about continuing the present system."

Kucinich said Clinton's plan involves combining public and private resources to help purchase insurance coverage from for-profit businesses.

"Who wins with that? The insurance companies," Kucinich said. "I don't know if it has any connection to the fact that she (Clinton) is the No. 2 recipient in the entire Congress of money from health insurance companies. But I imagine if they didn't like it, they wouldn't give her money."

Kucinich said his own plan would do away with health insurance entirely, with the federal government footing the bill for any medical care needed by the people.

"No more premiums, no more co-pays, no more deductibles," he promised, to cheers. "Health care is a right in America. It is our basic right."