US health insurers propose expansion of cover, but plan is widely criticised

doi:10.1136/bmj.39048.354132.DB

BMJ 2006;333:1141 (2 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.39048.354132.DB

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US health insurers propose expansion of cover, but plan is widely criticised

Janice Hopkins Tanne

¹ New York

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) hasput forward plans to cover all US children with health insurancewithin three years and all adults within 10 years. The tradegroup represents 1300 companies that provide health insuranceto more than 200 million US residents. Leading US newspapershave criticised the plan, however.

The insurers' plan would expand Medicaid, whichprovides health insurance for poor people and children. It wouldcover adults who have incomes below the poverty level—$9800(£5060; ${euro}$ 7470) for a single adult—and children infamilies that earn less than twice that. The poverty level fora family of three is $16 600.

The plan would establish "universal health accounts"to let people purchase tax-free health insurance, with matchingfederal grants to help working families. And it would offerfamilies on low incomes a tax credit of up to $500 to buy healthinsurance for their children. The plan would . . . [Full text of this article]

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