Dodd Health Care Plan Draws Comparisions to Rivals

ABC News’ Donna Hunter Reports: Presidential hopeful Sen. Chris Dodd D-Conn., unveiled his health care plan Thursday in Iowa calling for universal coverage for all Americans. Under Sen. Dodd’s plan all Americans would be covered within four years under a health insurance marketplace called the Universal Health Mart. Sen. Dodd said "By Establishing the Universal Health Mart, individuals would be guaranteed affordable health care coverage. "

"America deserves a health care system that provides universal, affordable coverage through universal responsibility shared by employers, individuals, insurance companies and the government," said Dodd.

When asked how his proposal stacked up against Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards’ health care plans Dodd said that Obama’s plan is not universal. He went on to add that he sees two problems with the Edwards plan. "With Sen. Edwards I see two problems one he proposes a regional health care plan, you don’t get the same bang for the buck if you’re doing it regional as you do with a national plan and second he talks about a significant tax increase to do it and I just don’t think that’s necessary."

Sen. Dodd proposed that by ending the war in Iraq the government would be able to use the billions of dollars spent on the war and put that money into national healthcare. Under Dodd’s plan all Americans would have access to the same type of benefits and plans members of Congress receive.

Employers would have to provide insurance to their employees through UHM or through existing systems. Individuals would also be automatically enrolled in the plan when they file their taxes or W2 tax forms and coverage would be portable and could move with them from job to job.