Senator Unveils Health Care Overhaul Plan
Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, recently
expressed his intention for Congress to take the lead on health care reform with
the presentation of his health care plan. The detailed three-year overhaul plan
has many elements that are similar to proposals made by President-elect Barack
Obama during the campaign, but also has similarities to the Massachusetts plan
that has led to nearly universal coverage in that state.
Sen. Baucus’
plan would establish an insurance exchange offering a menu of health plans to
the uninsured and to small businesses like in the Massachusetts plan. Employers
would be required to pay premiums for coverage, however small businesses would
be exempt from this requirement. The Baucus plan offers tax credits to small
businesses to help cover costs, and provides subsidies to low-income Americans
to help pay for premiums.
Sen. Baucus tied his health care reform
proposal to the nation’s economic recovery by saying, “There’s no way to really
solve American’s economic troubles without fixing the health care system. Health
care costs suck up more than 16 percent of our economy, and they’re growing.”
An element of Sen. Baucus’ plan that differs from President-elect
Obama’s plan would be a requirement that all Americans carry health insurance.
Obama has proposed offering health care access for all Americans, but without a
requirement that they be covered. Sen. Baucus’ plan would also require State
Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP) to cover children at or below 250
percent of the federal poverty level, and state Medicaid eligibility up to 100
percent of the federal poverty level.
Visit the Web page of Sen. Baucus for
more information.