Schwarzenegger's California Health Insurance Plan Still Facing HurdlesJanuary 2008
While California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez have finally hammered out a plan to offer
California health insurance to every citizen, roadblocks to the passage of their plan are still popping up at every turn.
The main issues seem to revolve around private health insurance, costs, and exactly how much of California's coverage will be paid for by employers.
According to the
East Bay Business Times, business groups are "lining up" against the proposed health care reform plan, including The California Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the California Manufacturers & Technology Association.
Why? Though Schwarzenegger and Núñez have distributed language for a ballot measure outlining a funding mechanism for the bill, including a cigarette tax, and hospital tax revenue, employers are concerned about exactly how much California health insurance will be funded by the "employer fee" that was also part of the package.
Further, the bill would require that most Californians purchase
private health insurance, unless they fall under low-income standards, but it does nothing to minimize overblown health care costs, another point of contention amongst detractors of the bill.
Finally, there are also arguments regarding the impact of this plan on California health insurance costs, and the burden on the small business community. Critics argue that the plan would penalize self-employed Californians who could see expensive and potentially devastating increases in their individual policies.
But in the face of it all many are still applauding the Governor and the Assembly Speaker for struggling to offer affordable private health insurance to cover all Californians.
Facts on:
Private Health Insurance in America
Did you know...
There are 7 million uninsured citizens in California?
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One thing is certain; those people who do have health insurance and who attend their yearly checkups live longer, are more likely to avoid preventable and expensive diseases, and are even more likely to survive those diseases in the event of diagnosis. This could save California a lot of money in medical debt farther down the road.
But how these factors will all play out in California, for the uninsured and the small business owner alike, remains to be seen in 2008.
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