Recently, I gave a speech on why I believe the United States should adopt a universal health care coverage plan. Though I believe this should be our ultimate goal in solving the health care crisis in America, I admire the steps several states are taking in trying to expand coverage for their citizens. Last night, the Massachusetts legislature passed the most comprehensive plan so far. The Business Week article explaining the details is linked above, but here are some main points:
-The legislation, which comes as traditional employer-based coverage is shrinking nationwide, will provide health care to about 95 percent of the state's half million uninsured residents by 2009, state officials said.
-The policy holds both businesses and employees responsible for health care coverage. Businesses with more than 10 employees that do not provide coverage for all staff must pay a $295 fee annually per uninsured worker.
-Insurance agencies would expand health care coverage by offering state-subsidized, low-cost insurance plans with scaled-back benefits.
The bill is expected to be signed by Republican Governor Mitt Romney, which would be a victory for him and his presidential ambitions (given this and his recent reaching out to religious conservatives, I'd say he's the one to watch out for) as it combines both government and market solutions.
"This is a Democratic ideal, which is getting health care for everybody, but achieved in a Republican way, which is reforming the private marketplace and insisting on personal responsibility," Romney said in a telephone interview.
Hillary Clinton, a longtime champion of a health care overhaul, praised the bipartisanship and embraced the Massachusetts measure's most striking aspect — requiring people to purchase health insurance — but questioned Romney's plans to eliminate a fee on companies that do not provide health insurance for employees.
"That would unravel the plan," Clinton said.
Romney will try to eliminate that provision which requires companies to pay $295 a year for every employee they do not provide with insurance, saying it's not needed to pay for the program, and trim Medicaid increases approved by legislature.
Democrats have the votes to override him. If they do, Romney will still be able to argue on the campaign trail that he got his bill and fought against the business fee.
Whatever the politics, all of us advocates for health care reform can be happy for this step in the right direction.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
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3 comments:
While I'm uncomfortable with making this an issue of personal responsibility-like we do with liability auto insurance here in Texas-I do think this is a step in the right direction. We're not anywhere near a national health care system yet, so we have to take steps in some direction. This plan is doing that, and for that reason I support it.
You have Romney's planning nailed. Bravo.
Anything is better than nothing, as long as you don't make a deal with the devil to get it. Fortunately, this sounds like Republican concerns were rather the weaker part of the compromise and that this is a workable plan. It would be nice to see it emulated nation-wide. Of course, you'd have to live in a state that collected taxes and regulated businesses to do that, so it probably won't come to Texas any time soon.
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