Biden Campaign Press Release - Richardsons Real Record on Health Care

Des Moines, IA (December 13, 2007) - Today during the Des Moines Register presidential debate, Bill Richardson said he would pass and implement universal healthcare in his first term. The real story is that Richardson promised to achieve universal care during his first term as Governor of New Mexico and when he failed, revised the timeline during his re-election bid. Yet, the goal of universal healthcare in New Mexico remains unfulfilled. Richardson has said the race for president is one for a "promotion," yet he has made rosy promises of achieving universal health care in the first year of his presidency without raising taxes to pay for it.

"I'm the only one here that has actually dealt with health care directly as a governor."

-- Bill Richardson at the AARP Presidential Forum, 9/20/07

"… But after 4 1/2 years as governor, the universal coverage that was his goal is still just a dream in New Mexico"

-- Associated Press, 7/18/07

Richardson Failed to Meet Promised Goal of Universal Healthcare for New Mexico

2002 Promise: Bill Richardson Set Goal of Universal Health Care in First Four Years as Governor. While running for Governor in 2002, Bill Richardson said, "Our objective is to cover every New Mexican in four years." [Albuquerque Journal, 10/11/02]

2006 Promise: Bill Richardson Renewed Universal Health Care Promise During Re-Election Campaign. While running for Reelection in 2006, Bill Richardson said, "I want every New Mexican insured by 2008, 2009. I think it's doable." [Associated Press, 7/20/06]

THE RICHARDSON RECORD: Nearly Half A Million New Mexicans Remain Uninsured, Second Highest Percentage By State. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 445,000 people in New Mexico had no health insurance in 2006. Overall 22.9 percent are uninsured, the second highest percentage (behind Texas) across the country. [U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Health Insurance Tables, Table HIA-4]

Associated Press: Under Richardson, Universal Health Care is "Still Just a Dream" in New Mexico. The Associated Press reported, "Richardson tells Democratic voters that as president, he would deliver health coverage to all Americans. But after 4 1/2 years as governor, the universal coverage that was his goal is still just a dream in New Mexico. About one in four state residents under age 65 is uninsured, according to a recent report. Among New Mexicans of all ages, about one in five lacks insurance — putting the state just behind neighboring Texas, which is ranked worst in the nation." [Associated Press, 7/18/07]

New Mexico Health Care Quality Ranked 35th Worst in Study of State Systems. In June 2007, the Commonwealth Fund released a report ranking the performance of health care systems in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The rankings were based on several factors including access, quality, and cost. New Mexico was ranked 35th overall, 50th in terms of access to health care, and 41st in terms of quality. [Commonwealth Fund, "Aiming Higher; Results from a Scorecard on Health System Performance," 6/07]

Richardson Makes More Promises in Presidential Campaign

Bill Richardson Said He Could Achieve Universal Health Care for All Americans in First Year of His Presidency. During a March 2007 health care forum sponsored by the Center for American Progress and SEIU, Bill Richardson was asked "how quickly under your plan do you think you could get to true universal coverage." Richardson said, "[W]hat we're talking about is I believe a very aggressive plan with new ideas that could be achieved the first year that I'm president." [Richardson Remarks at health care Forum, 3/24/07]

Bill Richardson Said He Could Achieve Universal Health Care Without Raising Taxes. During a speech unveiling his health care plan, Bill Richardson said, "We reduce the costs of healthcare for all and we pay for universal coverage by creating savings, not raising taxes. We reduce bureaucracy and administration and invest in quality of care." [Richardson Remarks in Iowa, 8/7/07, emphasis added]

Bill Richardson Said Health Care Could be Paid for by Administrative Costs. Bill Richardson said during an AARP forum on health care, "I have a disagreement with Senator Edwards in how you pay for it, for a new health care plan. I think the first thing we need to do is we pay $2.2 trillion in health care in this country. Thirty-one percent of it is administration; is bureaucracy; is lack of electronic filing records. It's HMO overhead. It's insurance company rip-offs. That is one-third that doesn't go into direct care. You have to shift that, first, to director care." [AARP "Divided We Fail" Forum, 9/20/07]