San Francisco unveils universal (healthcare) coverage

[deadparrot]

SAN FRANCISCO, June 21 (UPI) -- The mayor of San Francisco unveiled a plan Tuesday that would make it the first U.S. city with universal healthcare coverage.

The plan, called the San Francisco Health Access Program, would cover an estimated 82,000 uninsured residents and cost about $200 million per year, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday.

Members would pay a small monthly premium granting them access to primary and preventative treatment from public and private providers - but only within the city limits.

Funding for the plan would come from premiums, taxes and local business contributions.

http://www.upi.com/HealthBusiness/view.php?StoryID=20060621-051315-7499r

[AtomicKitten]

1. that's why I love living here in SF

sign me up

[Demobrat]

7. Me too! :-)

I have great health insurance now, but, things change...how great to have this in place when they do.

[AtomicKitten]

8. I'm self-employed.

For my son and myself, it would cost about $900/month. Just not possible.

[msongs]

2. will there be 2 million new citizens to cover next year?

makes a great incentive to move there. what we really need is universal health coverage all across the country but that would be too
humane and decent for the current regime to attempt. might violate their religious beliefs or something.

Msongs

can you sing?
www.msongs.com/vocalistwanted.htm

[Selatius]

3. Why won't the rest of California do this?

25,000,000 can invoke hefty bargaining power with respect to health care providers versus only one city with several million living in it.

[enid602]

5. LA

Los Angeles County has one of the highest percentages of uninsured. There would be no way to fund it through the municipality.

[Selatius]

6. I mean a state level universal health care program

Massachusetts is already toying around with such a thing.

[hogwyld]

9. Sure they could

Just cut out all of the pet pork projects. Make healthcare the priority over all other services. Something like this would even justifying (gasp) increasing tax revenues.

[bleedingheart]

15. ding ding ding.... We have a winner!

I have been saying this for a long time...The States that offer comprehensive healthcare for all citizens will have enormous bargaining power AND...if they offer it for all citizens...then some smaller companies and even larger companies would willingly shed the overhead of managing, updating and maintaining entire healthcare departments to join up ...

I proposed this to both the governor of PA and many legislators and they thought I was nuts...but I swear...it is going to come to pass.

[marmar]

4. Love that burg more than any other in America...

San Francisco really is the shining city on the hill. (Literally and figuratively).

[flaminbats]

10. Gavin Newsom is on my short list of 2008 primary candidates..

currently Russ Feingold is my only other favorite. Gavin Newsom doesn't just make a stink or beat the drum, but uses his position to achieve his objectives! :woohoo:

[Melsky]

11. It makes me miss living in SF

I live in Toronto now but if we ever move back to the US, I want to go back to San Francisco, even though we will end up living in a much smaller space. It's doubtful that we would need to ever use this type of insurance but it's good to know it's there.

[MadHound]

12. This is a noble gesture

However sadly, being limited to one city, it is an idea doomed to failure. Hundreds of thousands of people will flock to San Francisco, overwhelming the system. And when it is broken and bankrupt, those who are dead set against UHC will point to the SF experiment and say hey, look, it didn't work there, what makes you think it will work for the whole country.

UHC cannot be implemented on a local or state level, it has absolutely got to be enacted nationally. Otherwise it is doomed to be swamped and fail.

I hope this doesn't happen, but sadly, I think that it will:shrug:

[geomon666]

13. I'm sure insurance companies are gearing up their lawsuits as we speak.

This won't last.

[Vidar]

14. Bravo San Francisco. I lef my heart there, but sadly that is not

the part that is ailing.

[Stand and Fight]

16. Kick and recommended.

You would think that this sort of information would get more press on this site! :wtf:

This is great news people -- a progressive city leading the way.