Maryland Tests the Universal Health Care Waters

It seems like Maryland, “The Free State,” is working hard to provide health care for all its residents. Lawmakers in the state outlined a $1.6 billion proposal in March of 2009 that was designed to help the state’s 760,000 residents, of whom 14% don’t have individual health insurance. What are the details of this revolutionary sounding proposal, is it the right choice when you get past the glitz and glamour, and should the nation be following Maryland’s example – considering all the recent hoopla surounding universal health care on the federal level?

Health Insurance for All becoming a Reality in MD

What are lawmakers in Maryland suggesting for this come one, come all health care proposal? According to Kaiser’s Daily Reports, the legislation would build on a plan approved in 2007 by the legislature that expanded Medicaid eligibility and extended funding to small businesses to compensate for the cost of providing coverage. The current bill would provide an insurance plan for residents with premiums of about $250 per month, as well as sliding-scale funding for low-income individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. Residents who do not get insurance would pay an additional tax of as much as $1,800 annually, while low-income residents would be exempt from the penalty.

Will The Health Plan Actually Work?

It’s exciting to think of a proposal like this being put into place for a state. If it were to work, to possibly save money but more importantly, provide all residents with affordable access to health care, it could serve as a model for the entire country’s health care and health insurance system. But is it realistic? Having a penalty fee for those who chose not to purchase insurance would make the health insurance industry much like the car insurance industry: If you own and operate a body within the Maryland state limits, you would be required to insure it. Would this cover you in case your body causes harm to another, say through the spread of germs through a sneeze attack in public? Probably not. Wouldn’t imposing a penalty take away the freedom of choice that now surrounds health insurance? While it’s true that there are some people who just cannot afford health insurance, there are others who can and just don’t purchase it for reasons only they can understand. Enforcing penalties on those who don’t buy insurance seems to take away the generosity of creating a universal-like health insurance system.

Maryland: Leading the Health Care Controversy by Example

While it is unclear at this point whether or not the Maryland health insurance proposal is one that should be used a model for how health insurance should operate, I certainly commend them for trying to lead by example. How else is change going to happen in our heavily flawed health care system if some government bodies don’t sit up and at least propose changing the way things work? This is where I feel Maryland’s “almost universal” health care proposal should serve as an example for those sitting on the Hill in Washington-the state recognizes the inequalities in the current system and is talking about ways to make changes. Perhaps they aren’t the right changes but they are headed in a positive direction.

photo credit: Frederick Md Publicity

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Health Care Costs, Politics & Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.