California Universal Health Coverage

[bestsynd]

Will it be free??

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today proposed a health care plan for the state, which he hopes would cover all residents. His plan would “require” all Californians to have health insurance, and would provide extremely low income residents financial help.

Some worry that the financial assistance to uninsured low income workers via a “state-administered purchasing pool” would include a tax on the middle class. Medi-Cal would still be available for the very poor.

The governor mentioned a “broken system” where hospital emergency rooms have been forced to close and some citizens have been declined for health insurance because of pre-existing conditions. He said today “More than 60 emergency rooms have closed over the past decade because they didn't want to keep treating people without insurance. Unpaid medical bills mean billions of dollars in hidden taxes for the rest of us because those services all have to be paid for. So we pay higher deductibles, costs for treatment, premiums and co-pays.

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[bestsynd]

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered his annual State of the State address in front of the joint session of the California State Legislature tonight. He talked about several topics including global warming, education and other hot button issues. But most eyes were on his health care initiatives.

His plan would cover illegal immigrants, raising concerns of immigration-control advocates. The governor said that we are all paying for the uninsured through our taxes and higher health insurance premiums. Hospitals pass along the cost of the noninsured to everyone that has insurance, according to Schwarzenegger.

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[Nictoe]

I do believe all of this is trending toward universal health coverage...for better or worse.

[theLIBERTARIAN]

The governornator made some points - it is costing us a fortune right now and emergency rooms are closings down - plus insurance companies deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. So what to do?

The Insurance companies are already regulated. Doctors are regulated. The whole industry is already regulated. The new regulations will likely increase the cost and reduce the quality.

I bet we all have friends without insurance. Sometimes people have other priorities besides insurance (DVDs, a new car etc.). We have friends that are trying to get insurance but he has gotten too old (50), and they say they don't want to cover him.

So what should we do?? Force everyone to have insurance and force insurance companies to accept them. But at what cost? The insurance companies may like it. I doubt they would allow their "bought and paid for" politicians to pass something that would not benefit them.

[Nictoe]

The U.S. is turning into a 3rd world nation anyways, so it wouldn't surprise me if some kind of future barter system is established. A gall bladder operation might be traded to repair a surgeon's house for instance. They do this kind of stuff in other parts of the world all the time.

[Biscuit]

Yeah, we get to pay for it all ......we get to pay for some illegal Mexican invader who gets hurt out in the desert while attempting to get into the U.S.
Aint it wonderfull??.........now the word will spread to all of Mexico and South America that the gringo's will pay for their hospital bills for any reason, and it'll make more of them want to come here.

Watch out poverty.....you're about to have another 50 million people join your ranks!!!

[Nictoe]

Indeed, thats why it really might not be such a bad idea to apply for illegal alien status. More about this here:

http://www.bestsyndication.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1866

[Biscuit]

So we get to pay for Eric's whole family health care!! including that for his 'secretive' sister

[Nictoe]

Schwarzenegger offers health care bill for uninsured


Tue Oct 9, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday unveiled his long awaited bill aimed at providing health care insurance to nearly 7 million people in the most populous U.S. state who do not have it.

The Republican governor's bill will compete with plans proposed by Democrats who control the state legislature amid a special legislative session he ordered for lawmakers to tackle health care and water policies.

In addition to his goal of extending health care coverage to the uninsured, Schwarzenegger has said he aims to lower medical costs with legislation that would require individuals and businesses to have, offer or subsidize some form of health care insurance.

"Everyone is working so hard on this because what's at stake is a health care delivery system that works for all Californians," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

"We have the best opportunity for comprehensive health care reform in 100 years because the more people study our plan, the more they agree with what we have been saying since day one: if everyone pitches in and does their part, then everyone will benefit," the celebrity governor added.

Schwarzenegger said his bill advances the principles he said in January would guide his plans for extending health care insurance to an estimated 6.7 million uninsured Californians.

Under his bill, Californians would be required to have health care insurance. Low and moderate income individuals could obtain it through a subsidized state account.

Employers would be required to offer employees health care insurance and insurers could not reject applicants because of their age or medical history.

Small businesses that do not offer health care insurance would have to pay into a state account that funds it and proceeds from California's lottery would help pay for it.

A major difference between the bill he introduced and the governor's initial plan is that under the legislation doctors would not be required to pay a fee to help support a state account that would fund health insurance for the poor.

Doctors had complained about the initial fee plan and Republican lawmakers said it amounted to a tax.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez in a statement said a "careful review" of Schwarzenegger's plan could move talks on a compromise health care bill forward.

"I am pleased the governor will be putting his health care proposals into a bill that can be properly studied and evaluated," Nunez said.
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[SteveS]

[Nictoe]

[aliaslezarddagain]

[theLIBERTARIAN]

Steve, you make a good point. I doubt we will get a discount at the hospital like Alias said. Heck, maybe they can figure out a way to charge us more?

Also, this is great for the private insurance companies. The governor is going to take our tax money and give it to them. Then all they have to do is deny some really big claims and make some big money with the tax money we gave them. Stupid.

I understand the insurance companies need to make bucks, but this is at odds sometimes with people getting coverage when they need it the most. There is also a problem with pre-existing conditions.
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[Nictoe]

At least the Gropenator will have a somewhat better legacy with this kind of plan....than somebody building trillion dollar sand castles in foreign deserts.


"A government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have." --Barry Goldwater