| Plan |
Conyers United States National Health Insurance Act H.R. 676 | |
| Date |
January 2007 | |
| Overall Approach |
Yes | |
| Universal Coverage |
Yes | |
| Guaranteed Coverage |
Yes | |
| Portability |
Yes | |
| Voluntary Employer-Based System |
No | |
| New Programs |
Establishes a National Board of Universal Quality and Access to provide advice on quality, access, and affordability | |
| Expansion of Existing Public Programs/Federal Law |
Expands Medicare to create a single-payer, publicly-financed, privately-delivered universal health care program that would cover all Americans
Coverage would include all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services | |
| Insurance Pool |
All residents covered by a national single-payer health insurance plan | |
| State Responsibility |
Requires the Governor of each state to appoint a State Director to assist in the planning and administration of the program | |
| Individual Mandate |
None | |
| Employer Mandate |
Establish employer/employee payroll tax of 4.75% | |
| Private Insurance Mandates |
Prohibits private insurers from selling coverage that duplicates any benefits included in the universal national health care program | |
| Individual Subsidies |
All medically-necessary health care covered at no cost to the individual | |
| Individual Vouchers |
No | |
| Employer Subsidies |
Not addressed | |
| Individual Plan/Provider Choice |
Yes | |
| National Health Board |
Yes | |
| Tax Changes |
Closes corporate tax loopholes
Repeals the Bush tax cuts for the highest income earners
Establishes employer/employee payroll tax of 4.75% (includes present 1.45% Medicare tax)
Establishes a 5% health tax on the top 5% of income earners; a 10% tax on top 1% of wage earners
Establishes one quarter of one percent stock transaction tax | |
| Premium/Co-Pay/Deductible |
None | |
| Health Quality Improvement |
Health care delivery facilities must meet regional and State quality and licensing guidelines as a condition of participation guidelines regarding safe staffing and quality of care.
Requires the establishment of state physician practice review boards to assure quality, cost effectiveness, and fair reimbursements for physician delivered services
Provides for the creation of an Office of Quality Control to conduct an annual review and make recommendations on the adequacy of medically necessary services
Establishes a National Board of Universal Quality and Access to advise the HHS Secretary and national program Director on quality, access and affordability
Requires the National Board to establish a universal, best quality of standard of care for staffing, medical technology, work in the health workplace, and best practices | |
| Information Technology / Electronic Medical Records |
Requires the creation of a uniform computerized electronic billing system
Creates a standardized, confidential electronic patient record system | |
| Individual Responsibility for Health and Lifestyle |
Not addressed | |
| Preventive care |
Not addressed | |
| Transparency |
Not addressed | |
| Drug Reimportation |
Not addressed | |
| Medicare Rx Drug Price Negotiation |
Yes | |
| Medical Personnel Education |
Not addressed | |
| Mental Health Parity |
Yes | |
| Other Provisions |
All current expenditures for public health insurance programs such as S-CHIP, Medicaid, and Medicare will be placed into the national system
Investor-owned providers transitioning to non-profit status will be compensated for the value of converted property and equipment
Any displaced private insurance company workers who are not rehired by the single player system will receive two years of unemployment benefits | |
| Cost |
$1.86 trillion/year | |
| Cost Containment |
Reimbursement rates set for physicians and health care providers set annually by the National program and administered by regional Medicare offices
Provides for the negotiatiation of prescription drug prices
Requires the establishment of state physician practice review boards to assure quality, cost effectiveness, and fair reimbursements for physician delivered services
Promotes the use of generic prescriptions drugs
Reduction of paperwork | |
| Financing |
Maintain current federal and state funding for existing health care programs
Closes corporate tax loopholes
Repeals the Bush tax cuts for the highest income earners
Establishes employer/employee payroll tax of 4.75% (includes present 1.45% Medicare tax)
Establishes a 5% health tax on the top 5% of income earners; a 10% tax on top 1% of wage earners
Establishes one quarter of one percent stock transaction tax
The conversion to a not-for- profit health care system will take place over a 15 year period, through the sale of U.S. treasury bonds | |
| Source |
"H.R. 676 FAQ," Rep. John Conyers, Accessed Jan. 16. 2009
H.R. 676 - Bill Text, Library of Congress - Thomas Website, Jan. 24, 2007
H.R. 676 - Bill Text, Library of Congress - Thomas Website, Jan. 24, 2007
"Executive Summary of The United States National Health Insurance Act (HR676) 108th Congress," Physicians for a National Health Program, Accessed, Jan. 16, 2009 | |
