National Health Program

The following is being posted on behalf of Bob Berra:

We need a National Health Care Program now. I can speak from experience as I have over forty years of experience as a Health Insurance professional. In order to accomplish that objective I believe both government and business must work together. The government should be the umpire establishing and enforcing the rules and not the player. Therefore, with that principal in mind I propose the following program:

1. We need to develop a Standard Health Plan approved by the Federal Government for all citizens. All Health Plans must meet the provisions of the Standard Plan but may offer additional benefits. State Mandates will no longer apply.

2. Plans offered by Insurance Companies for Groups with less than fifty-one employees and Plans offered to Individuals must have their rates and benefits filed each year with the Federal Government. The Filed Rates and New Business Rates must be one and the same. However, Rates may be discounted not more than 10%f or preferred risks or increased not more than 10%f or Sub Standard Risks. No one can be denied coverage and pre-existing condition exclusions will not apply.

3. The Federal Government mandates Health Coverage for all citizens. All Businesses will be required to pay no less than 50% of Employee cost and 50% of Dependent cost unless Dependents are covered elsewhere. The Employees will pay 50%. All such payments will be exempt from Federal, State and Local Taxes for Employers, Employees and Individuals covered under an Individual Health Policy.

4. Individuals and Families considered under the Poverty Income level will continue to have their Health Care Insurance payments subsidized by the government.

5. Self Insured Plans are not permitted unless the Group has at least two hundred or more employees. However, Self Insured Plans must also meet the provisions of the Standard Plan. The program will bring into the Health Care system the over forty five million uninsured's and growing daily many of who are young and healthy citizens. Therefore, it will fulfill the "spread of risk" actuarial principal thus reducing the cost of Health Care for all Americans.