Weve all learned that changing the health insurance system cannot be accomplished overnight, but it is abundantly clear that it will never be accomplished without an established framework and a clear time table, said ACP-ASIM President Sara Walker, MD, MACP. We are asking Congress for a commitment to build on the successes of the American health care system by expanding programs that are already in place and functioning.

Under the Colleges proposal a subsidized health insurance program would be available to all who lack another form of coverage. Health insurance plans would be required to offer a standard basic package of benefits, including preventive services, as a condition of participating in the new subsidy program. Qualified insurance companies would also be required to agree to uniform new federal rules on risk rating and renewability. Coverage would be available to individuals through purchasing group arrangements. These groups would allow individuals access to the steeply discounted rates that insurers currently only offer through large or mid-size employers and provide one stop shopping for qualified health plans.

To reach the goal of insurance for all Americans, the College believes that Congress should enact legislation to establish a framework of a step-by-step plan to make affordable coverage available to all Americans. The Colleges plan calls on Congress to adopt a resolution establishing the goal of making health insurance coverage available to all citizens within seven years.

Our plan prioritizes the neediest people for the quickest action, said Dr. Walker. Those making less than 200 percent of the f
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Contact: Carolyn Albert
carolyna@acponline.org
202 261-4572
American College of Physicians
26-Apr-2002