General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLegislation may enable states to offer universal healthcare
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120525,0,2080853.columnTo make universal coverage work at the state level, you'd need to channel federal healthcare funds into the system. A bill being drafted by Rep. Jim McDermott would allow that to happen.
By David Lazarus
May 25, 2012
Universal coverage, Medicare for all, single payer call it what you will. It's clear that conservative forces are determined to prevent such a system from ever being introduced at the national level. So it's up to the states. snip
But legislation quietly being drafted by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) would change that. It would create a mechanism for states to request federal funds after establishing their own health insurance programs
If passed into law admittedly a long shot with Republicans controlling the House of Representatives McDermott's State-Based Universal Healthcare Act would represent a game changer for medical coverage in the United States.
It would, for the first time, create a system under which a Medicare-for-all program could be rolled out on a state-by-state basis. In California's case, it would make coverage available to the roughly 7 million people now lacking health insurance.
xchrom
(108,903 posts)Poll_Blind
(23,864 posts)PB
northoftheborder
(7,566 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Just Kidding.
K/R.
duhneece
(4,105 posts)I have NM's public/private state coverage and am so grateful.
Beartracks
(12,761 posts)Is there an online link to information?
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duhneece
(4,105 posts)State Coverage Initiative
http://www.hsd.state.nm.us/mad/pdf_files/SCI/SCIOpProtocolfinal.pdf
INTRODUCTION
New Mexico has one of the highest rates of uninsured adults in the nation. As part of the states effort to analyze and develop solutions to this challenge, New Mexico applied for and was awarded a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation State Coverage Initiative (SCI) grant. After extensive work with an array of state agencies, managed care organizations (MCOs), stakeholders, consumers, and provider groups, an employer-based strategy for adult coverage was developed. In early March of 2002, the state submitted a Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability (HIFA) waiver to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). On August 23, 2002, the waiver request was approved by CMS. Shortly after the waiver approval date, the state had a gubernatorial election and a subsequent change in administration. Consequently, the implementation time frames were revised to accommodate additional review and input processes.
The resulting SCI demonstration is a statewide managed care model, primarily targeted to small employers. All uninsured adults under the age of 65 who meet categorical requirements will be eligible to enroll in the program, including those who are not attached to a participating employer, and regardless of parental, custodial relative, or disability status. New Mexico anticipates that as many as 40,000 adults could be served over the five-year demonstration period. The demonstration is financed with Title XXI funds.
Benefits under the SCI demonstration are designed to reflect a basic commercial health care package in New Mexico, and to meet the needs of the target population.
longship
(40,416 posts)To combine these concepts, the best solution is, by any rational analysis, is to maximize the pool of the insured. It is the primary principle behind the basis of all insurance.
But, unfortunately, insurance in the USA is marketed by commercial companies. The last thing they want is for their exclusive, smallish customer base to be spread out over the population where the economies of scale inherent in the insurance model, to spread the risk, would make their obscene profits impossible.
We're the only major western country on the planet that hasn't gone for single payer. Nota bene, Canada still has insurance companies.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)knock ourselves out to take back the house!