San Francisco OKs Universal health plan
By LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jul 19, 12:32 AM ET
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco moved closer Tuesday to becoming the
nation's first city to provide health care coverage for all its
residents.
The city's Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan that would
give adults access to medical services regardless of immigration or
employment status. The plan's estimated cost is $200 million a year.
Financed by local government, mandatory contributions from employers
and income-adjusted premiums, the universal care plan would cover the
cost of everything from checkups, prescription drugs and X-rays to
ambulance rides, blood tests and operations.
Unlike health insurance, it would not pay for services obtained
outside San Francisco. Participants would have to receive care at
existing clinics and public hospitals and from doctors who already
participate in an HMO for low- and middle-income clients.
The Board of Supervisors must vote on the plan, which has been
strongly opposed by the business community, once more for it to become
final.
Businesses with more than 50 employees would have to start
participating next July, while smaller enterprises would begin in
April 2008.
--
"Science is the record of dead religions." -- Oscar Wilde
"There are no absolute certainties in this universe. A man must try to
whip order into a yelping pack of probabilities, and uniform success is
impossible." -- Jack Vance
"Civilization is the interval between Ice Ages." -- Will Durant.
"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography" -- Ambrose Bierce
"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant
Joseph R. Darancette
daranc@NOSPAMverizon.net
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