Ronald E. McNair Program


Tonya Oliver
 Name: Tonya Oliver
School: Tougaloo College
Major: Economics
Mentor: Dr. John Conlon
Expected Graduation Date: May 2008 
Organizations & Honors: 
  • Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society
  • Presidential Scholar 
  • Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges 
  • Economics/Business Club President 
  • Ronald McNair Scholar 
E-MAIL: 08TCGrad@AOL.com 

COMMENTS:
The Ronald McNair Program is an experience like no other! It provides a way to make lifelong connections and friendships with mentors and scholars alike. More importantly, the program provided an opportunity for me to conduct research under an instructor who pushed me to the limit in an effort to help me reach my full potential.

ABSTRACT

President Clinton’s Failed Approach at Universal Health Care Issues in Comparison to Barack Obama’s Health Care Reform Plan

One advantage of universal health care is that it ensures health care coverage to all people regardless of their income or pre-existing health condition. Making this benefit a reality in the United States, however, is extremely difficult. Policy makers have tried for years, but have failed politically. Clinton’s Health Security Plan was the most recent notable attempt, but it too experienced political failure. Henry Aaron (1994), David Cutler (1994), and Joseph Newhouse (1994) analyze a number of issues connected with health reform, including the effects of universal coverage on adverse selection and moral hazard, experience and community rating, employer and individual mandates, the play-or-pay plan, and labor market distortions created by universal coverage. Theda Skocpol (1996) discusses the politics of these issues in relation to Clinton’s Health Security plan. This paper analyzes many of the issues they raise and provide an expanded discussion of some of these issues.