(Circulation. 2000;101:e9040.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.
Cardiovascular News |
Cardiovascular News
Health Care for All—In Maryland, At Least
Healthcare advocates in Maryland say that a statewide health plan to provide coverage to everyone—even the state’s 836 000 uninsured—is not only possible, but it will save money. They are pushing for a statewide debate that will result in a plan that meets the needs of Maryland specifically, said Glenn Schneider, spokesman for the Maryland Citizen’s Health Initiative. The statewide group is funded by the Abell Foundation, the Blaustein Foundation, the Casey Foundation, the Fund for Change, the Kreiger Fund, the Open Society Institute, the Straus Foundation, and the W.W. Kellogg Foundation. Its website is www.healthcareforall.com
"Our hope is, over the course of the next 2 or so years, to debate, discuss, and finally come up with a plan that is unique and works for Maryland so that we can cover everyone who needs health care," said Mr Schneider. More than 16% of Maryland citizens lack health care, and 100 000 of the uninsured are children. The premise of the group’s message is that "everyone in Maryland is entitled to have comprehensive health insurance, regardless of age, race, and economic status. If you live here in Maryland, you are entitled to health care."
The basic tenets of the plan are that everyone:
- Should have a choice of doctors
- Is entitled to a comprehensive set of benefits appropriate to his or her age and sex
- Has the right to have medical decisions left to the patient and provider without undue interference from an insurance administrator
- Is entitled to a comprehensive set of benefits appropriate to his or her age and sex
The debate must precede the plan,