I am going to do something that is completely out of character for a British National and that is I am going to step out of the Que and ask for a diary recommendation straight off!
But asking for a diary recommendation is not to help me because I already have the National Health Service (NHS) instead it is to help you.
The current Republican Governor and US Senate Candidate for the State of Florida worked through a health care plan in his State.
Is the Crist plan the solution nationwide?
The Republican Governor thinks so, more below the fold!!
Governor Crist is so proud of his reform measures that he is prominently taking credit for it in his new campaign for the Florida Senate Seat. From www.charliecrist.com;
I signed into law a nationally recognized, market-based health care program to provide low cost health insurance for nearly four million uninsured Floridians.
Personally, I thought he would be running away from what he did in Florida but here he is this weekend;
"I'd like to see more private-sector involvement. I think that what we've done in Florida can be a pretty good model," Crist told reporters. "The real concern here is to make sure the people have access to health care that's affordable. Through our Cover Florida program, we've shown a way to do it where you don't have to increase taxes."
Remember, those words because here is the Republican Governor's Prescription;
During the 2008 legislative session, my administration worked with legislators of both parties to secure unanimous approval of the Cover Florida Health Care Access Program. This legislation makes affordable health coverage available to 3.8 million uninsured Floridians through a comprehensive market-based strategy.
Just how is that "comprehensive market based strategy" in statewide partnership with Blue Cross working for the average Floridian?
When Richard Browne checked into the plan, he found it too expensive. For men ages 50 to 59, the monthly catastrophic coverage costs $363 to $463.
"I'm not sure who it's supposed to be affordable for, but it's not affordable for me," he said.
But you may be thinking Richard Browne could end up using a lot of benefits, right? Well the Blue Cross plan has an annual maximum of $25,000 in benefits with a lifetime maximum of $50,000. So the above Floridian will pay $5,556 a year for a possible single year benefit of $25,000.
Please, go to the Cover Florida website and check out the Republican solution, it is an eye opener. (You can use zip code 32803 in Orange County, FL to get quotes)
Charlie Crists prescription was to provide health coverage for "3.8 million uninsured Floridians."
Someone needs to ask Charlie why only 1,716 uninsured Floridians have signed up for his "nationally recognized, market-based health care program."
America has a choice, you can have the "reforms" that Charlie Crist did to Floridians or you can have the middle of the road solution that Democrats are currently proposing.
Here is a link to the "Benefit Summary" of the Blue Cross option that Charlie Crist calls "a pretty good model."
I urge all readers to print copies of this plan and send it to their Members of Congress and the Media.
The Crist plan was a "gift" to Americans that want real decent affordable health care, now is the time to use that gift.