California: Health care reform talk heats up. Plans pitched for universal coverage in state

San Jose Mercury ^ | December 5, 2002

[John Jorsett]

For years, the idea of universal health care was a political third rail -- politicians who came out for it risked electrocuting their careers.

But suddenly in the past month, it seems everybody is talking about health care reform -- from Gov. Gray Davis to the head of one of California's largest HMOs -- raising hopes that the state might actually provide health care for all its citizens.

[goldstategop]

Left out of this story is how exactly this wonderful universal health care in California is going to be paid for. Sure its a beautiful Christmas present that looks shiny and exciting. The reality is you're going to have to increase taxes substantially beyond what Californians are paying now to make it work and the article doesn't even begin to discuss the pitfalls and trade-offs that come with a government-run health care plan. This folly was rejected just last month in liberal Oregon and for all the talk about it here, without the funding to make it happen, its a liberal pipe dream.

[Cicero]

Sounds like a great way to fix the deficit. Even the voters in Oregon just voted down single-payer health care.

[Morgan's Raider]

Hmmmmmmm, the PRC is 21 Billion in the hole for this year already, and they just keep on proposing more and bigger gubmint programs. It's gonna be fun watching this Marxist Monster collapse over the next couple of years as they blissfully head toward third (or fourth) world status.

[JRandomFreeper]

They just want the exact same medical care system that North Korea has. N. Korea Care.

/john

[Maximum Leader]

Get ready for the pain.

Just like some (admittedly flaky) historians believe that World War I was caused by overpopulation-- and the European leaders unconsciously chosing o to "thin the herd", it seems like California liberals feel there are too many people out there.

They choose to thin the herd by driving people to leave by state regulatory and tax policy. Of course for every productive taxpayer who leaves, they'll see at least two unproductive welfare recipient move in for "free health care".

What tax rates do ya'll have there now?

[Shermy]

Sounds like the HillaryCare scam. At its core, a market capturing trick by some HMOs to the detriment of others.

[Lael]

21 Billion in the hole for this year already, and they just keep on proposing more and bigger gubmint programs.

That deficit exceeds that of the remaining 47 deficit states combined!

[mvpel]

The income tax rate is 9.5% for income over about $35,000 per year.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[SCalGal]

Plus sales tax (8 1/4% in Los Angeles), property taxes, gasoline taxes, cigarette taxes, etc.

[Weimdog]

Canada, need we say more?

[tubebender]

There must be something in the water at the capitol to create all this madness. Every newbie sworn in this week has stars dollar signs in their eyes including our own Patty Berg.

[tubebender]

Plus fees...lots of fees.

[Kozak]

It's gonna be fun watching this Marxist Monster collapse over the next couple of years as they blissfully head toward third (or fourth) world status.

Think so? Do you REALLY think the Federal Government is gonna be able to sit back and let 1 out of 10 Americans ( many many voters ) go down the tubes? If Cali crumps we will all be paying for it. Trust me.

[umgud]

With an all Dem state-house and Gov Davis fresh from an election, I wouldn't put it past them. It's not like they're going to be voted out of office. This is a liberal state. The ratio of poor and low wage earners (low taxpayers)to high wage earners (the real taxpayers) is growing and it's the low wage earners that are the Dem voting base.

[Lizavetta]

raising hopes that the state might actually provide health care for all its citizens.

Both legal and illegal.

[Lizavetta]

Brown's idea is known as ``pay or play,'' in which employers must either offer insurance or pay into a state fund to cover health benefits for employees.

If this actually flies, and businesses no matter how small have to 'pay or play', my husband will pick up his business and leave, as will countless other businesses who provide employment and tax revenue.

Are they truly so stupid they don't know this? Or is it their goal to gut the state of its most productive citizens?

[FITZ]

Left out of this story is how exactly this wonderful universal health care in California is going to be paid for.

American taxpayers. Not just those in California because the federal government is going to rescue the area with federal grant money.

[cherry]

the govt CANNOT sit back while more and more middle class Americans are forced to pay higher and higher chunks of our already over-taxed incomes for health care premiums...

okay fine...if your civil service or retired military or a teacher etc....you don't worry about your benefits...not at all....

but the rest of us...including myself, and I work in the cockamamie industry....can not afford it...period...not when you are talking several hundred dollars a month just to cover yourself, your spouse and your children....

for instance...my spouse has had good medical insurance all these years for free for all of us...myself and our kids....

now, his criminal enterprise of a company, has declared bankruptcy.....now, everything is in question...

not only will be probably get shafted in his retirement....but he will be required to pay a ton a month just to cover us....and there is no grace period...if he goes in tomorrow , he can be let go after 25 years and have medical insurance til the end of this month.

the problem of course is that the govt has provided too much to too many.,...people being kept alive at when they are 88 and no physical capabilites at all....then we can talk about why govt is buying Viagra for impotent men....and now they are talking about all drugs being free to the elderly....doesn't anyone see that the price for the rest of us is going to skyrocket????..

so why I do not want to see the govt having universal health coverage,,,we have to realize that there are millions of my families out there.....

the best solution is this....govt stop all health coverage...medicare..medicaid...everything....

the price of health care would plummet....the cost of drugs would plummet....