Committee passes single-payer universal health insurance plan

[Rose Siding]

MONTPELIER – A House committee comprised largely of Democrats on Friday adopted a health-care reform plan that restructures key parts of state government to lay the groundwork for a publicly financed, universal-care system paid for with taxes.

The plan calls for primary and preventative care coverage for all Vermonters by July 2007, publicly funded hospital coverage by October 2007, and universal coverage for other medical needs no later than July 2009.

The proposal was immediately criticized by physicians, hospital officials and insurance executives because the proposal calls for sweeping changes to Vermont's health-care delivery system without saying how much it would cost or what medical procedures would be covered.

Those decisions were put off until next year to allow lawmakers more time to meet with business leaders, health-care officials and Vermont residents to understand better what coverage level they desire and how much they are willing to pay.

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050409/NEWS/504090371/1002/NEWS01

[Old and In the Way]

1. It will be interesting to see if this acts as a business magnet.

Maybe if this is sucessful, this could be a blueprint used to develop a similar nation-wide program.

[keith the dem]

2. I wana move to Vermont

Why can't they make the winters shorter.

[mmonk]

3. The more I hear about Vermont,

the better it looks.

[wschalle]

4. Yay!

Democrats got to decide something?