Clinton says income could be garnisheed if workers refuse to buy health insurance
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., appears today on ABC's 'This Week'
Will Hillary Clinton as president tap into workers' wages to achieve her goal of health insurance for all Americans?
The possibility exists as the candidate was pressed on the matter during a television interview today.
Speaking on ABC's "This Week" program, the Democratic senator from New York said she might be willing to have wages garnisheed if people refuse to buy health insurance.
"I think universal health care is a core Democratic value and a moral principle, and I'm absolutely gonna do everything I can to achieve that," Clinton said. "I think there are a number of mechanisms" possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."
Host George Stephanapolous asked Clinton specifically about garnisheeing wages at least three times before she made the admission.
"What we've got to do is have shared responsibility. Everybody has to pay something, but obviously on a sliding scale," Clinton said. "I think you can automatically enroll people, and you will then say, 'You've got to be part of this.'"
"If you don't start with universal health care, if you don't say everybody's going to be in the system, we'll never get there," she added.
Clinton said such measures would apply only to workers who can afford coverage but refuse to purchase it, increasing the financial pressure on hospitals. She indicated her plan "will be affordable for everyone" because she'd limit premium payments "to a low percent of your income."
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