Twenty-two percent of New Mexicans had no health insurance in 2003, compared to about 16 percent nationwide. That statistic has prompted health care advocates to introduce universal health care legislation every two years since the early 1990s. Current efforts focus on the Health Security Act, which has evolved and improved due to public feedback since it a version was first introduced in 1993.… Read More
In July 2004, State legislators took the first step toward a constitutional amendment to "ensure that no Massachusetts resident lacks comprehensive, affordable and equitably financed health insurance…" The legislature needed to vote again during the 2005-2006 session on whether to allow the initiative to appear on the statewide election ballot. They did indeed act and passed a bill in April 2006. On July 12, 2006, the legislature voted 118-76 to send the amendment to constitutional committee for study. This will delay the ability for this to appear on the November 2006 ballot, but advocates hope that it will be on the November 2008 ballot.… Read More
A bill to create the Advisory Committee on Consolidated Health Care Financing was passed and funded in the summer of 2000. It was part of compromise legislation drawn up as a result of the statewide ballot initiative for a universal program. (For more about the ballot initiative, see Medical Student JAMA, October 1, 2003.) The committee’s mandate was to analyze a financing system for health care "accessible to every resident of the commonwealth". A final report was published in December 2002.… Read More
DIRIGO HEALTH is Maine’s universal access to health coverage plan. The new law is a plan to provide affordable health insurance to small businesses and individuals and to control health care costs. The legislation offers a phased-in approach with an ultimate goal to ensure that all of Maine’s citizens have access to health care by 2009.… Read More
The Connecticut Health Care Security Act is a good single-payer model for other states to follow.
TheAct would have insured payment for all medically necessary services, medications, and long term care for all residents of the State of Connecticut. The bill sought to put decisions about health care in the hands of licensed health caregivers and their patients without insurer pre-approval.
The California Health Insurance Reliability Act is based on a model released in January 2005 by the Lewin Group, an independent health care analysis firm. It would provide all state residents with full coverage of medical, dental, vision, and hospitalization services, and pharmaceutical benefits, through a statewide, single payer system.
The Lewin Group study was commissioned by California Health and Human Services, in accordance with a bill passed by the state legislature in 1999 that required a study of universal health coverage options. Nine proposals were studied – three single payer models and six proposals that increase coverage through public program expansions, employer incentives, or combination approaches.
In 1998, San Franciscans passed Measure J with a 65 percent majority vote and made it city policy to provide affordable, preventive healthcare to the uninsured. In 2006, the city passed the San Francisco Universal Healthcare Initiative, with aims at giving an estimated 82,000 uninsured San Franciscans access to healthcare regardless of income, immigration status, or medical condition. Launched in July of 2007, Healthy San Francisco enrolled 3,100 people and has 14 city health clinics and 8 community affiliated clinics as of October of 2007. … Read More
Enacted in August 2005, the New York City Health Care Security Act requires any grocery store with 35 or more employees or any retailer larger than 10,000 square feet to contribute $2.50 to $3.00 towards health care for each hour an employee works.
CityCouncilors said the measure was necessary to prevent employees from having to rely on public health programs paid for by the city and state. The law will expand health care for up to 6,000 employees in the grocery industry and protect coverage for 21,000 employees now receiving health care through their employers.
In 2003, Oregon’s Governor signed a bill into law (see HB 2043 or the PDF version) that gives insurers a tax credit until 2006 of up to $300 per policy for enrolling consumers in mile-based insurance programs.… Read More