Wellstone starts push for universal health care plan

Plan lets state handle details

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- Because of rising insurance costs, approximately 45 million Americans are living without adequate medical coverage, according to reports from the federal government.

As a result, U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, a Democrat, is pushing to provide affordable universal health care coverage with the Health Security for All Americans Act.

"I have been waiting for some time to get this proposal drawn up," Wellstone said during a conference call Wednesday. "The time has come. This will be a two-year campaign, and I will be putting a lot of pressure on members of Congress to get this through."

Between 1993 and 1994 Wellstone learned that making things action at the federal level involves citizen politics. That philosophy will be the driving force behind the bill.

"It's been at least six years since we've talked about this," Wellstone said. "When we first started talking about this we were in a period of high unemployment and were in a deficit status. Now we are in a booming economy, and it is time to put this back on the table."

There are currently 45 million Americans living without any type of medical coverage because they are unable to afford it. There are too many people falling through the cracks as a result of this problem, Wellstone said.

"Health security is a top priority of people throughout the state that I have talked to," he said. "What my goal is with this package is to provide decentralized universal coverage. Everyone should have health coverage as good as members of Congress."

Patients should also be protected and people's income should be protected as part of the plan, he said.

"Minnesota is already ahead of most states when it comes to health coverage programs," Wellstone said. "One component of this package is that it will be left up to the states as to how it should be handled. We will also develop a plan that will provide incentive bonus money to those states that have reached the goal."

One component of the package is that people's income will be protected. Those earning below $25,000 per year will be able to pay less than 5 percent of their income for medical premiums, he said.

The program will receive $100 billion from the federal government during the first four years while implementation is taking place, with an additional $600 billion for the next six years after that, providing $700 billion over the 10-year period, he said.

"This is still less than a third of the surplus," Wellstone said. "We can't make this program work without spending some money."

Michelle Schwartz of Waterville, who has three children and is receiving healthcare coverage through MinnesotaCare, has been unable to pay the premiums. She cannot afford to pay for medical coverage through her employer.

"I am faced with a situation where I need to change job in order to get better benefits," she said during the conference call. "I work in a nursing home and don't want to leave my job, but I have no choice."

Wellstone's proposal will also provide equal parity for substance abuse and mental health programs, which many health programs don't currently provide, Wellstone said.

"We will build coalitions," he said. "We need to put something together that people can understand. And this is something that makes sense. By building a citizens politic around this proposal, the passage of this bill will be external."

In order for the national community in which people live as Americans to be a success, it is crucial that universal health coverage exists. The package also includes parity in Medicare programs and workplace safety issues, Wellstone said.

"I am not focused on getting Congress involved in this until we get the citizens started on pushing the need for this," he said. "This bill will not be going to the floor right away. I don't want that to happen."

Wellstone is looking at the possibility of bringing in pieces of the proposals introduced by candidates as part of the package after the November election.

"This program will be affordable. and it will be left up to the states," he said. "We need to make this as good as what Congress has. I don't see any reason why that won't sell this to Congress."

The minimum standards of the program will be established by the government, but the states will have the option to tailor the program to meet the needs of their citizens, he said.