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44 :17 minute Press Conferance in front of State Capitol Phoenix Az of Rep Lopes introducing Legislation for Universal health care in Arizona. Speakers plus questions for press & audience
Universal health care bill pushed in Arizona
By Dennis Welch, Tribune
February 3, 2006
Arizona would have a $30-billion-a-year universal health care system under a plan unveiled Thursday by a Democratic lawmaker.
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Although Rep. Phil Lopes of Tucson says the chances of his bill ever passing the GOP-controlled Legislature are slim, he hopes it will ignite a debate in regard to one of the largest crises looming over the country.
“The health care system is broken and we need a plan that will provide coverage for everyone living in Arizona,” Lopes said during a late morning news conference.
Standing alongside him were more than two dozen health care professionals who strongly supported the legislator’s plan and were critical of the country’s health care system.
Lopes insists the state would not need to increase taxes or ask for additional federal subsidies to pay for his program. But he admits that he has not figured out the costs.
Under his plan, a committee representing business, consumer and health care provider interests would craft a more detailed proposal — which would include the costs — that would provide insurance to the state’s 6 million residents.
The plan would then be phased in over the next three years, while all the bugs were worked out.
The Democratic lawmaker says the money to finance the program would come from the $30 billion already in the state’s health care system. That averages out to about $5,000 annually for every resident.
Lopes said he modeled his program after a New Mexico plan that has been on the table for about 12 years.
But with Republicans controlling the Legislature, as well as a long list of interest groups that have killed similar efforts throughout the country, Lopes said his bill has little chance of passing.
So far, the bill has not been assigned to a legislative committee. But he is hopeful that with enough pressure from voters, he can get a hearing.
Currently, there are nearly 1 million people in the state living without coverage. And nationally, more than 45 million Americans are uninsured.
Sen. Carolyn Allen, RScottsdale, said she doubts the current Legislature will pass Lopes’ bill, but said it’s time lawmakers start looking at the system
Allen, chairwoman of the Senate Health Committee, said she doubts that a health care plan like the one proposed by Lopes could work on a state-by-state basis.
“We need to start looking at our health care delivery system because it is seriously broken,” she said.
Highlights of HB2752
• Provides health care coverage to every Arizona resident who has lived here for at least a year.
• Creates a nine-member commission — representing business, consumer and health provider interests — that would craft a plan to be phased in over the next three years.
• Allows for an agreement with Mexico so its government would provide health care to its citizens living here.
• Estimates the statewide system can be funded with $30 billion a year, which is about $5,000 per person.
• Includes doctor visits, hospital stays, mental health services, prescriptions, preventative care, lab work, eyeglasses and dental care.
Contact Dennis Welch by email, or phone (480) 898-6573