Kennedy to propose universal health care(based on federal workers plan)

[papau]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/01/22/kennedy_to_propose_universal_health_care/

Kennedy to propose universal health care
$100b initiative modeled on plan for federal workers
By Alice Dembner, Globe Staff, 1/22/2004

In a speech to health care advocates today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts plans to propose legislation to provide health insurance to all Americans at a federal price tag of $100 billion a year.

The plan would mandate that large employers cover their workers and would establish a national insurance plan for other Americans modeled on the plan that covers federal employees. Although similar initiatives have been proposed before, Kennedy's plan would attempt to make the mandate more palatable to employers by capping their contributions at 12 percent of payroll costs, up slightly from the current median expenses of 11 percent.

Kennedy's staff said the federal cost would be completely offset over a decade by savings initiatives mandated in the bill, such as expanding disease prevention programs, streamlining administration in hospitals and health plans, importing prescription drugs from Canada and European Union nations, and authorizing the federal Medicare program to bargain with drug companies for discounts.
<snip>

"It's clearly designed to build on what works today, rather than creating new bureaucracies or organizational structures," said Ronald Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a national advocacy group. "It's a thoughtful proposal that could work. But I think President Bush's record makes clear that building on employer-provided coverage and providing meaningful subsidies is not something he's likely to support."

Under the proposal, which Kennedy said he will call the Health Security and Affordability Act, large employers and prosperous small employers would be required to pay 75 percent of the cost of employees' health insurance. Other workers and individuals not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or programs for children could join a National Health Benefits Program with subsidized premiums modeled on the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program.

[54anickel]

1. Good news at a good time in the election cycle. A decent alternative

out there to anything Shrub might propose which will allow for comparison.

[papau]

4. It leaves Ins Co's in the game - so it might get passed - but only if

Nov 04 is a Dem Pres plus at least one house - Senate or House - win.

[FlaGranny]

2. My parents had such a plan

because my father was a retired federal employee. It was their Medicare supplemental and it was a wonderful plan. It paid everything that Medicare did not pay, even the deductible. The entire cost of the insurance was deducted from my father's federal pension, but it was very reasonable. I don't know how much the plan was for both of them when my father was alive, but my mother paid about $115-120 a month combined for Medicare and the federal insurance plan. It even covered 100% of her meds. She paid somewhere around 12 percent of her income for her health insurance and medical care.

[wryter2000]

3. Go get 'em, Teddy

That sort of money is just a drop in the bucket for Bush*.