Posted on 01/08/2007 1:42:34 PM PST by libertarianPA
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday proposed to extend health coverage to nearly all of California's 6.5 million uninsured people, promising to spread the cost among businesses, individuals, hospitals, doctors, insurers and government.
The plan contains elements that are likely to provoke opposition from a wide range of powerful interests, including doctors, hospitals and insurers, as well as employers and unions. But it also contains incentives for each of them.
All children, regardless of their immigration status, would be covered through an expansion of the state and federal Healthy Families program.
"I don't think it is a question or a debate if they ought to be covered. ... The federal courts have made that decision — that no one can be turned away," Schwarzenegger said. "The question really isn't to treat them or not to treat them. The question really is how can you treat them in the most cost-effective way."
Under Schwarzenegger's plan, all Californians would be required to have insurance, although the poorest would be subsidized. Businesses with 10 or more employees would have to offer insurance to their workers or pay 4 percent of their payroll into a state fund. Smaller businesses would be exempt.
Also, insurers would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people because of their medical problems.
Business groups and Republican legislators are likely to object to the extra costs imposed on businesses.
The state would subsidize the estimated 1.2 million poor people who do not currently qualify for state health coverage. They would be able to buy insurance through a state-run pool and would have to make a small contribution toward their premiums.
Schwarzenegger is betting that his plan will save $10 billion a year by cutting health care costs. He says the savings would offset the new fees he is asking doctors and hospitals to pay — 4 percent of revenue for hospitals and 2 percent for doctors.
The state also would increase what it pays doctors and hospitals through Medi-Cal, the state insurance plan for the poor.
The governor was supposed to give his address in person to a panel of health care officials. Instead, he spoke via video link since he is still recuperating from broken leg suffered in a skiing accident.
California driving the producers and employers out of their state again - the non-producers and the lazy will flock there though...
What next? You wreck your car in CA without insurance then then you drive up to the insurance company with the front end all smashed and the car still smoking and they have to insurer it and then pay for the damages after the fact? Nutz.
Is that like the requirement to have a driver's license? How many non-citizen "Californians" are driving at the moment without a license? Lots and lots.
Does he think the companies won't spread the higher costs onto the rest of us? Or perhaps companies will quit selling insurance in CA, like many did with flood insurance in FL.
Man, just get out of the way and let the free market work. Perhaps it's nature's way of thinning the herd.
I think this foreigner has Presidential aspirations. If he can pull this off with the help of the Ca legislature, then he will be propping himself up as a candidate...if anyone believes that we won't be instituting socialized medicine nationally in the next 5-10 years, they have their head in the sand. This puts Arnold at the forefront of what the country 'wants'. Then he only has to have the Constitutional ban on foreign borns changed (leave it to Teddy). Who even cares anymore about that?
No, he knows they will. It's part of your new "shared responsibility", didn't ya know?
He just solved Mexico's healthcare problem. From now on Mexican ER's will just instruct everyone to go over the border.
(The anabolic steroids must have finally hit his 'brain'. I'm pretty sure the only cure is a lobotomy)
One thing I did not see mentioned in the article was a statement last week from Arnie stating his desire to have this coverage extended to those members of society which are here under the radar... i.e.: illegals.
Arnold is the #1 Dream of the Liberal faction of the Free Republic. They think he is the man in the movies, like Rudy is the slayer of all terrorists.
It's there. About the 4th paragraph.
Here's a link to a more detailed discussion of the proposal
http://gov.ca.gov/pdf/press/Governors_HC_Proposal.pdf
All children, regardless of their immigration status, would be covered through an expansion of the state and federal Healthy Families program.
mmmmm you missed it, it is for the children!
We all knew he was a moderat / border line liberal.
That's just ridiculous! Like we can all afford to pay for all these illegals! There will be a BIG swarm to move to CA with all these sickies. Time to move outta here! Or vote him outta here! I think he's had too much morphine with that accident.
If I may expound, it's what The People (not the country) and associated travelers have decided is the next need. And the play book goes "to each according to need, from each acccording to ability". The vehicle will be children, broken homes, the old and the poor. So in the words of the great Steven Tyler, "Same old story, same old song and dance my friend!" The next entitlement the Democracy will vote itself. Until we change back to a Republic and let the States appoint their Federal Legislative checks this insanity will continue.
Sorry for the rant, I meant to just bump this thread to see what Arnold supporters turned up. There sure were alot of them jumping every thread about Arnold in the run-up to his annoiting. Any way have a nice night. And BTW I love the map on your home page, may I?
Businesses are required to provide workers compensation insurance for every employee. The cost of workers compensation can be as high as 40 percent of payroll. I'm not sure this 4% add on is an unreasonable requirement.
I truly am in favor of the requirement that insurers cannot deny coverage based on existing medical problems as often people get diagnosed with some illness and through no fault of their own they become uninsurable and then ultimately become a burden on the state anyway. At least with this proposal the burden is shared between businesses, individuals, government and insurance companies.
Although I am not particularly against this proposal, I have serious doubts as to whether it is workable. It sounds good on paper. But then the proof is in the pudding.
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