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Posted: June 19, 2007 3:32 PM
Edwards Expands on Health Care Plan
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Last week, former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., outlined more details on his health care plan at a speech in Detroit, saying the average American family would save $2,000 to $2,5000 a year under his plan and that he would eliminate at least $130 million of overall wasted spending.

Edwards’ plan achieves the savings by calling on insurers to spend at least 85 percent of premiums on patient care; requiring providers to monitor patients with chronic disease in order to reduce complications and hospitalizations; providing “prizes” for breakthroughs in new medical technologies; and improving working conditions to woo back 50,000 nurses who have left the field and bring in an additional 50,000 nurses to the workforce.

His campaign also has been generating regional press coverage from its $15 dollar fund-raising events it is calling “Small Change for Big Change” in Texas and Illinois

Both Edwards and his wife Elizabeth were in Iowa last weekend, during which time the New York Times wrote a piece comparing this year’s strategy to his 2004 vice presidential bid.

On Tuesday, John Edwards delivered two speeches in Washington, D.C., at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees forum and the Take Back America Conference . In both, he continued to stress his campaign themes of fighting poverty, providing universal health care and ending the war in Iraq.

Edwards plans to deliver a speech on middle class debt at Cooper Union in New York on June 21, followed by a “Small Change” event at Strata on Broadway. On June 23, the Edwards plan to go to Nevada. John Edwards intends to hold a town hall meeting at DaMonte Ranch High School in Reno, and Elizabeth Edwards will open their Nevada campaign office in Las Vegas and then address the Nevada Hispanic Democratic Caucus Community Informational Forum.

The couple plans to appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 25. Two days later, John Edwards heads back to Iowa to speak with Iowa City firefighters and the campaign is organizing a series of parties around the country. The campaign is providing house party packs for hosts, and Edwards will hold a live conference call during the parties.