Support for “hybrid” proposal?
Health Affairs
Web Exclusive
August 27, 2003
Americans’ Views Of The Uninsured: An Era For Hybrid Proposals Most agree that something should be done to help the uninsured, but they don’t want to pay higher taxes to do it.
by Robert J. Blendon, John M. Benson, and Catherine M. DesRoches
From the Discussion:
Although there is no public consensus on any single approach to helping the
uninsured get coverage, a hybrid plan-one that leaves workplace insurance in
place and includes elements of several different proposals to cover more of
the uninsured-offers the possibility of gaining public support.
Continuing reliance on workplace insurance will reassure those who already have such insurance that their coverage will not be at risk. The possibility of a compromise hybrid plan arises from the fact the large majorities of both.Democrats and Republicans are amenable to three different approaches to
covering the uninsured: some form of requirement that employers offer health
insurance to their employees, tax credits to buy private health insurance,
and expanding state government programs for low-income people to provide
coverage. With a hybrid plan, nearly everyone would get some element of
their preferred way to deal with the problem of the uninsured.
http://www.healthaffairs.org/WebExclusives/Blendon_Web_Excl_082703.htm
Comment: A hybrid proposal reminiscent of the Clinton plan, promising
something for everyone, brings back unpleasant memories of the disintegration of the legislative process when all special interests descended on Washington.
Words of optimism for reform escape me now.