Universal Health Care in San Francisco?

[Yollam]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/20/MNG3OJHDTV5.DTL

S.F. plan would offer health insurance for all residents
Cecilia M. Vega, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 20, 2006


(06-20) 17:53 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Mayor Gavin Newsom unveiled a proposal today that would make San Francisco the first city in the country to provide health care for all of its uninsured residents through a plan that covers everything from patient doctor visits and surgeries to prescription drugs.

San Francisco's estimated 82,000 uninsured residents who typically go to public clinics and hospitals for treatment would be covered under the plan, dubbed the San Francisco Health Access Program.

It would offer people the primary and preventative health care they currently lack and allow them to access hundreds of doctors in public and private hospitals and clinics.

"This is not a pipe dream," Newsom said. "This city is going to be the first city in America to achieve universal health care access."

The plan differs from other proposals because it is not health insurance. Those who sign up would have access to care only in San Francisco and, despite paying monthly premiums, would not be covered by the plan if they sought treatment outside the city limits.

The estimated $200 million-a-year price tag, or $2,400 per person, would be paid for through a combination of sources, including tax dollars, local business contributions and the payment of individual premiums.





I was very excited to read this, and it is a step in the right direction. If Newsom can make this work, I would probably become one of his biggest boosters. A couple of flies in the ointment though. According to the story, there are about 82K uninsured in SF - about 10% of the population. I have no stats, but having lived there for some time, and having been to the free clinics, etc. My guess is the number is at least 3 or 4 times that many who are uninsured or underinsured. This idea could be a lot more costly than they think.

[Kadie]

1. k&r