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Universal health care interest revives

By Alison Hawkes For The 3 min read

HARRISBURG – More than a decade after former President Bill Clinton’s foray into universal health care fell flat, interest in the idea is resurfacing again at the state level, including in Pennsylvania. Inspired by the recently enacted Massachusetts plan to mandate health care by July 2007, Harrisburg lawmakers are exploring the possibility of similar legislation for this state’s 12 million citizens.

So far, the idea is contained to bipartisan interest in the House Insurance Committee, which began six days of hearings on Tuesday with business and advocacy group stakeholders.

“A cross section of the House – Democrats and Republicans – are saying something has to be done,” because of the high number of uninsured and skyrocketing health-care costs, said House Insurance Committee Chairman Nicholas Micozzie, a Delaware County Republican. “We’re looking for something of this type to solve the problem.”

A May 2005 study by the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance found that 900,000, or 8 percent, of Pennsylvanians lack health insurance, largely young people between ages 18 and 34 who can’t afford the high costs.

Meanwhile, health insurance costs continue to rise on the order of 8 percent or more per year.

This year, lawmakers have attempted to address health-care costs on the employer end, offering tax credits for businesses offering health savings accounts and regular health insurance to their employees. And Gov. Ed Rendell successfully pushed a program this year to provide free or low-cost health insurance to all children in Pennsylvania

The Massachusetts plan, regarded as a national first in its attempt to cover everyone in a shared public-private system, is based on the belief that the uninsured are significantly driving up insurance premiums.

The plan requires employers not offering health insurance to pay a $295 surcharge per employee and individuals above a certain income to pay for insurance if they don’t already have it. It also expands Medicare income eligibility to 300 percent of the federal poverty index, among other changes.

But according to Highmark Inc., a Pennsylvania Blue Plan that covers 4 million members, offering universal coverage would be very different in Pennsylvania. This state has twice the population of Massachusetts and twice the number of people without insurance. It’s also poorer.

“It … has some very sobering cost implications,” said Candy Gallaher, Highmark’s director of regulator affairs.

The Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania also urged caution, saying it preferred lawmakers look at reducing the cost of health insurance first before setting up new government mandates.

“Mandating that people buy insurance only works if insurance is affordable,” said Sam Marshall, president of the federation.

Marshall said government mandated insurance, such as workers compensation and automobile insurance, have only been successful because of legislative changes that helped drive down costs.

But Rep. Tony DeLuca, an Allegheny County Democrat, said the uproar that occurred when automobile insurance was mandated could be compared to today’s dislike for universal health care.

“That wasn’t an easy sell,” he said.

Indeed, just how eventual legislation from this committee will be received in the full House is unknown. Steve Miskin, the spokesman for House Republican Leader Sam Smith, was noncommittal on the proposal’s future.

“This is pure and simple information gathering,” he said of the committee meetings.

Bucks County Rep. Tony Melio, a Democrat, put the chance of success this way.

“That would be remarkable,” he said.

Alison Hawkes can be reached at 717-705-6330 or ahawkes@calkins-media.com.

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