Exclusive: Hillary Clinton on Health Care

Oct. 19, 2007 — -- As first lady, Hillary Clinton spoke extensively about health-care reform; now as a presidential hopeful, the New York senator is making it one of her top priorities.

In an exclusive interview with ABC's Dr. Timothy Johnson, the Democratic senator sat down to discuss her plans to further breast cancer screening, as well as where health-care reform stands on her radar.

Dr. Timothy Johnson will continue to provide coverage on health care and the presidential candidates.

Having a woman in the White House would inevitably mean high expectations for prioritizing breast cancer awareness.

Shockingly, advocates say, the rates for mammography are dropping. Additionally, the number of radiologists going into mammography is dropping and the number of places that do mammography is dropping.

"I'm deeply concerned about this. … We need to look hard because, actually, there's increasing evidence that mammography works. People can get their breast cancer diagnosed early, which is a big help in terms of treating it and surviving it," she said.

Clinton stressed the importance of public outreach and applauded "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts' efforts to increase awareness through her own public battle with breast cancer.

"I've, of course, been following Robin's experience, and I wish her well. She's been absolutely magnificent in how she's communicated all of this," Clinton said.

Clinton has spoken extensively about the need for an electronic record-keeping system that will help to bring systematic ideas to the health-care system that are currently not available.

But nothing has happened yet — prompting doubts that Clinton will be able to follow through on her health-care goals.

Johnson reminded Clinton of her team's failed attempts to get the ball rolling on the system a few years ago.

"We were all, from our different experiences, committed to the electronic medical record. We were able to get that legislation passed in the Senate, and it died in the House. It died, in part, because after evidencing some interest in it, the White House retreated. It wasn't a priority," Clinton explained.

Clinton Says Dems and Republicans See Issue Differently

She said a large part of the problem was the lack of presidential backing.

"It would have cost some money for us to get this architecture set up, and the Bush administration didn't want to spend the money because, by then, the Iraq War was taking off, and the costs were escalating," she said.

"We have gone back. We have a bipartisan piece of legislation in the Senate again. We're going to push it again," she said.

Clinton has said that providing health insurance for everyone is a moral issue. And she said she is treating it with the importance it deserves — to the contrary of Republican efforts.

"They are not looking at the facts, because they, first of all, don't see, apparently, what I see, which is that we have a lot of hardworking Americans who just can't afford it. That's what this children's health insurance program fight has all been about," she said. "I don't think, in America, you should have to sell your house to get your child health insurance when you're a working person."

"I'm very excited at the prospect of being the first woman president, but I'm not running because I'm a woman," Clinton said. "I'm running because I think I'm the best qualified and experienced person to do this."