Tomorrow, Thursday the 27th from noon to 1, there will be a rally at the State House to support Real Health Reform.
For more details look at Health Care for All of Massachusetts' Blog post.
We will be announcing that we have collected more than 65,000 signatures in support of the Massachusetts Quality Affordable Health Care Act. The gist of the proposal is below the fold.
Update: I'm having trouble with the extended body function, but I'll be back to add the details later.
This proposed law would end the current surcharge on health care premiums which currently go to fund the uncompensated care pool. Instead, the cigarette tax would be raised 60 cents per pack and an assessment of 5% of payroll (after the first $50,000) for employers with 100 or fewer employees and 7% for larger employees would fund an expansion of MassHealth. Some of the money from the fund could be used to help moderate income people pay their share of a private plan.
Employers who provide health coverage can credit what they spend on health care against the assessment. What this says basically is, offer insurance to your employees and help them pay a portion of the cost or else pay into a fund to defray the State's expenses.
MassHealth would be expanded to cover all services which had been available in December of 2002, including dental. Coverage for legal immigrants would also be restored.
I'll be back to answer questions people have, but I hope that some Kossacks will make the trek.