That's the vow of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is trailing in the race for the Democratic nomination but is expected to be an influential player if his party takes the presidency.
Richardson is one of several Democrats who haven't broken out of the low single digits in polling. But their views on health care may carry weight no matter who wins the nomination.
In this article in the Campaign '08 series, we'll highlight the health care positions of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.
Richardson: Guarantee coverage, ban HSAs
Bill Richardson is a two-term New Mexico governor, former U.S. Energy Secretary, and United Nations ambassador in the Clinton administration. He and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden are tied for fourth place for the nomination, with polls showing them each below 4%.
Saying universal coverage "is not only a moral imperative, it is also an economic imperative," Richardson would require all Americans to obtain health insurance and employers to contribute "their fair share." Such mandates also are favored by frontrunners Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, but opposed by Barack Obama.
"The lack of guaranteed, quality health care coverage costs us up to $130 billion each year in lost productivity," Richardson said when announcing his health plan. "By 2010 the average family that does have insurance will pay an extra $1,500 to cover those that don't."
Richardson would expand Medicaid and allow Americans 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare. "This is just plain common sense," he says. This will initially cost more but "could ultimately reduce costs by ensuring that older adults get the cancer screening and other preventive services that they need."
The candidate would emphasize prevention, require insurance companies to spend "less on administration and at least 85% on direct care," standardize claim forms, and allow Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies over the price of prescription drugs.
Similar to Clinton's plan, Richardson's would also demand that insurers end coverage denials because of pre-existing conditions, allow all Americans to tap into the health plan offered to federal employees, and provide tax credits to families who can't afford coverage.
Richardson would abolish health savings accounts, which are favored by President Bush and most Republican candidates. "These are a step backward," he said. "They put working families at risk," he says, adding that most families cannot afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs.
The price tag for his health plan could reach $110 billion a year. He'd pay for it without tax increases by rolling back some of Bush's tax cuts, investing in health information technology, promoting disease management, and letting Medicare negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.
Dodd: Create new insurance market
First elected to Congress in 1974, Chris Dodd served three terms in the House of Representatives. The son of former Sen. Tom Dodd, he's represented Connecticut in the Senate since 1980.
Dodd would create a health insurance marketplace, known as a Universal HealthMart, which would be similar to the coverage plan offered to federal employees. All children would be covered under his plan.
"America deserves a health care system that provides universal, affordable coverage through universal responsibility shared by employers, individuals, insurance companies, and the government," he says. "Everyone participates, everyone benefits."
Under Dodd's plan, all employers would have to provide insurance to their employees either through the new market or through existing systems. Coverage and enrollment will flow automatically to all Americans when people file their tax returns, complete W-4 forms, or show up for health care with a provider. Coverage would be phased in over four years. "As more and more Americans participate, Universal HealthMart will gain increasing leverage to negotiate premiums and lower costs," he said. "Price and coverage discrimination based on condition will be eliminated."
Employers who join his HealthMart would no longer be required to negotiate insurance premiums or shoulder the task of administering health plans.
Like Richardson, Dodd would provide incentives to spur prevention. "People who make personal choices to improve their health through smoking cessation, weight loss, and improved fitness will have access to plan rewards and incentives."
The Dodd plan would lower administrative costs and eliminate inefficiency by investing in information technology and data collection.
Children would have guaranteed health insurance and access to preventive screenings including vision, hearing, autism and other neurological disorders.
Dodd doesn't cite a price tag for his proposal but promises that universal coverage won't require a new tax. "Much of the plan can be paid for by eliminating the existing inefficiencies in the system," he said. Dodd also would roll back some of the Bush tax cuts and use funds from ending the war in Iraq.
Gravel: Retail sales tax to fund universal coverage
Mike Gravel, consistently last in all national polls, served as a senator from Alaska from 1969 to 1981. He complains that he's "censored" by major broadcast networks in televised presidential debates and is rarely called on to answer questions.
Gravel advocates a universal single-payer health care system that provides equal medical services to all citizens, funded by a retail sales tax. Citizens would pay nothing for health benefits except for modest co-pays and deductibles.
"We can't keep saddling the business community with responsibility for health care," he argues. "It's not their job and escalating health costs make them uncompetitive in global markets."
Gravel's plan would issue vouchers to all Americans. They would be able to maintain their choice of physicians and hospitals, and could voluntarily use their own money to purchase additional coverage beyond basic care. Exclusions on the basis of pre-existing conditions would be abolished.
Gravel wants all health records to be computerized so that any provider could call up a patient's medical history by punching in a personal identification number.
The text passage is a comparative analysis of the health care positions of three Democratic presidential candidates: Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, and Mike Gravel. It outlines their proposed health care policies, including coverage, cost, and implementation strategies.
no_question

the passage does not contain any mathematical questions or calculations. it is primarily descriptive, detailing the health care plans of the candidates.
Given a text passage, determine:
    1. If it contains a mathematical question (including word problems or calculations)
    2. If an answer to that mathematical question is provided in the text

First, describe the content structure you found in 1-2 sentences.

Then provide your analysis in the following format:
TYPE: <one of the following values>
- NO_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION_WITH_ANSWER
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS_WITH_ANSWERS
system
That's the vow of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is trailing in the race for the Democratic nomination but is expected to be an influential player if his party takes the presidency.
Richardson is one of several Democrats who haven't broken out of the low single digits in polling. But their views on health care may carry weight no matter who wins the nomination.
In this article in the Campaign '08 series, we'll highlight the health care positions of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.
Richardson: Guarantee coverage, ban HSAs
Bill Richardson is a two-term New Mexico governor, former U.S. Energy Secretary, and United Nations ambassador in the Clinton administration. He and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden are tied for fourth place for the nomination, with polls showing them each below 4%.
Saying universal coverage "is not only a moral imperative, it is also an economic imperative," Richardson would require all Americans to obtain health insurance and employers to contribute "their fair share." Such mandates also are favored by frontrunners Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, but opposed by Barack Obama.
"The lack of guaranteed, quality health care coverage costs us up to $130 billion each year in lost productivity," Richardson said when announcing his health plan. "By 2010 the average family that does have insurance will pay an extra $1,500 to cover those that don't."
Richardson would expand Medicaid and allow Americans 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare. "This is just plain common sense," he says. This will initially cost more but "could ultimately reduce costs by ensuring that older adults get the cancer screening and other preventive services that they need."
The candidate would emphasize prevention, require insurance companies to spend "less on administration and at least 85% on direct care," standardize claim forms, and allow Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies over the price of prescription drugs.
Similar to Clinton's plan, Richardson's would also demand that insurers end coverage denials because of pre-existing conditions, allow all Americans to tap into the health plan offered to federal employees, and provide tax credits to families who can't afford coverage.
Richardson would abolish health savings accounts, which are favored by President Bush and most Republican candidates. "These are a step backward," he said. "They put working families at risk," he says, adding that most families cannot afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs.
The price tag for his health plan could reach $110 billion a year. He'd pay for it without tax increases by rolling back some of Bush's tax cuts, investing in health information technology, promoting disease management, and letting Medicare negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.
Dodd: Create new insurance market
First elected to Congress in 1974, Chris Dodd served three terms in the House of Representatives. The son of former Sen. Tom Dodd, he's represented Connecticut in the Senate since 1980.
Dodd would create a health insurance marketplace, known as a Universal HealthMart, which would be similar to the coverage plan offered to federal employees. All children would be covered under his plan.
"America deserves a health care system that provides universal, affordable coverage through universal responsibility shared by employers, individuals, insurance companies, and the government," he says. "Everyone participates, everyone benefits."
Under Dodd's plan, all employers would have to provide insurance to their employees either through the new market or through existing systems. Coverage and enrollment will flow automatically to all Americans when people file their tax returns, complete W-4 forms, or show up for health care with a provider. Coverage would be phased in over four years. "As more and more Americans participate, Universal HealthMart will gain increasing leverage to negotiate premiums and lower costs," he said. "Price and coverage discrimination based on condition will be eliminated."
Employers who join his HealthMart would no longer be required to negotiate insurance premiums or shoulder the task of administering health plans.
Like Richardson, Dodd would provide incentives to spur prevention. "People who make personal choices to improve their health through smoking cessation, weight loss, and improved fitness will have access to plan rewards and incentives."
The Dodd plan would lower administrative costs and eliminate inefficiency by investing in information technology and data collection.
Children would have guaranteed health insurance and access to preventive screenings including vision, hearing, autism and other neurological disorders.
Dodd doesn't cite a price tag for his proposal but promises that universal coverage won't require a new tax. "Much of the plan can be paid for by eliminating the existing inefficiencies in the system," he said. Dodd also would roll back some of the Bush tax cuts and use funds from ending the war in Iraq.
Gravel: Retail sales tax to fund universal coverage
Mike Gravel, consistently last in all national polls, served as a senator from Alaska from 1969 to 1981. He complains that he's "censored" by major broadcast networks in televised presidential debates and is rarely called on to answer questions.
Gravel advocates a universal single-payer health care system that provides equal medical services to all citizens, funded by a retail sales tax. Citizens would pay nothing for health benefits except for modest co-pays and deductibles.
"We can't keep saddling the business community with responsibility for health care," he argues. "It's not their job and escalating health costs make them uncompetitive in global markets."
Gravel's plan would issue vouchers to all Americans. They would be able to maintain their choice of physicians and hospitals, and could voluntarily use their own money to purchase additional coverage beyond basic care. Exclusions on the basis of pre-existing conditions would be abolished.
Gravel wants all health records to be computerized so that any provider could call up a patient's medical history by punching in a personal identification number.
user
The text passage is a comparative analysis of the health care positions of three Democratic presidential candidates: Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, and Mike Gravel. It outlines their proposed health care policies, including coverage, cost, and implementation strategies.

TYPE: NO_QUESTION

The passage does not contain any mathematical questions or calculations. It is primarily descriptive, detailing the health care plans of the candidates.