Gov. seeks sweeping health system reforms

[forrestkc]

SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today proposed upending just about every portion of the healthcare industry in one of the country's most elaborate efforts at holding down medical costs and expanding insurance to those who don't have it.

Schwarzenegger's plan, which he publicly unveiled at noon, would require employers with 10 workers or more to buy insurance for their workers or pay a fee of 4% of their payroll into a program to help provide coverage for the uninsured.

Schwarzenegger would tax doctors 2% of their gross revenue and place a 4% tax on hospitals. He campaigned for reelection on an anti-tax platform, but his administration argues that so many more people would have insurance that medical providers would make more money.

The governor also wants to ban insurers from refusing to offer coverage to some individuals because of their prior medical conditions. Insurers would also have to spend at least 85% of their premium revenues on patient care, a move that would limit the amount companies spend on administrative costs and profits.

In an effort to cover all Californian children, including ones in the state illegally, Schwarzenegger's plan would expand the state's Healthy Families program, providing insurance to children whose parents make less than three times the poverty level. That works out to about $60,000 for a family of four.

And Schwarzenegger said his plan would require every Californian to have health insurance.

"If you can't afford it, the state will help you buy it," he said, "but you must be insured."

Schwarzenegger called the delivery and payment of healthcare in California "disastrous," noting that nearly 1 in 5 residents is uninsured.

"The problem with that is, of course, that the rest of the people who have insurance pay for them," said the governor. "Those that are fortunate enough to have coverage

[Axxman]

Liberalism is going to sink California into the ocean faster than global warming.

[kat8585]

Liberalism is going to sink California into the ocean faster than global warming.

I'm so glad I don't live there.

Forrest, you must have voted for this, because there are only 2 votes, and I voted against it, and it sounds like Axxman didn't vote for it.

[billie]

Me too.

[Marnie]

It is completely absurd. What is he thinking?

[georgesbluegirl]

In this country's legal system, your parents are responsible for making decisions about your well-being until you are 18. Applying that principal here, why should the actions of parents who choose the enter the country illegally have repercussions for their children, who are by all measures innocent?

[kat8585]

In this country's legal system, your parents are responsible for making decisions about your well-being until you are 18. Applying that principal here, why should the actions of parents who choose the enter the country illegally have repercussions for their children, who are by all measures innocent?

Well, if they see that they can get away with it, they will come in even more droves than they already are. If they see they won't, maybe they will think twice about it.

[Axxman]

In this country's legal system, your parents are responsible for making decisions about your well-being until you are 18. Applying that principal here, why should the actions of parents who choose the enter the country illegally have repercussions for their children, who are by all measures innocent?

In this country if your parents are irresponsible in taking care of the needs of their children...your parents have the kids taken away from them, and the parents can go to jail.

If you are an illegal immigrant...we not only don't care that you broke the law...we'll take care of you and your kids for free. Better yet, we'll make our citizens foot the bill so that their standard of living goes down and we can all live like illegal immigrants.

[kat8585]

In this country's legal system, your parents are responsible for making decisions about your well-being until you are 18. Applying that principal here, why should the actions of parents who choose the enter the country illegally have repercussions for their children, who are by all measures innocent?

In this country if your parents are irresponsible in taking care of the needs of their children...your parents have the kids taken away from them, and the parents can go to jail.

If you are an illegal immigrant...we not only don't care that you broke the law...we'll take care of you and your kids for free. Better yet, we'll make our citizens foot the bill so that their standard of living goes down and we can all live like illegal immigrants.

You got that right!

[forrestkc]

In this country if your parents are irresponsible in taking care of the needs of their children...your parents have the kids taken away from them, and the parents can go to jail.

You have never done any work in the child welfare or family court system then have you?

If you are an illegal immigrant...we not only don't care that you broke the law...we'll take care of you and your kids for free. Better yet, we'll make our citizens foot the bill so that their standard of living goes down and we can all live like illegal immigrants.

Yes, punish the children for the actions of their parents. After all, God certainly must value children born in America over those born in third world nations, so why shouldn't we.