2007 House Bill 4202 (Create “single payer” government health insurance system )

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Introduced by Rep. George Cushingberry on February 7, 2007, to establish a government-run "single payer" state health care system. The government would eventually essentially take over all health insurance in the state and ration health care services for Michigan residents. The bill establishes a variety of government boards and commission that would make decisions regarding which treatments and services would be covered, and decide most other aspects of health care delivery in the state. The bill does not specify how this would be paid for.
- Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on February 7, 2007.

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Comments

Introduced by Rep. George Cushingberry on February 7, 2007. New Comment

1) House bill 4202 [by Anonymous Citizen on May 9, 2008]
House Bill 4202

Socialized medicine doesn’t work. It isn’t working in Europe or in England and it will be a bigger bust in Michigan. All you get are long lines and poor health care. I lived in Germany and in England. My last doctor in Germany was leaving and going to the US because the only way she got paid was from private insurance customers.

Myself I will sell my house and pack my bags and leave Michigan. (I don’t think I will be the only one either) I will not have socialized medicine shoved down my throat. I will not give Michigan one more dime of my hard earned money. The state of Michigan can’t even budget its self let alone a state wide health program.

Between the Michigan government and the unions you have completely destroyed our economy.

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2) Cynical dishonesty of Michigan Health Care Security Campaign [by Anonymous Citizen on January 20, 2008]
Contrast it's cynically tactical use of dishonest weasel-words like "affordable," "comprehensive" and "cost control" with this "Medical Choice for Arizona" initiative language:

"The right of citizens to enter into private contracts with health care providers for health care services shall not be infringed. No law shall be enacted requiring any citizen, or any class of citizens, to participate in any state sponsored health care system or plan."
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3) So This [by Anonymous Citizen on January 18, 2008]
is how they are going to shove socialized medicine down our throats? I wouldn't trust these politicians to shovel my snow and now the usefull idiots want to give them power over my health care? Get me out of this communist ghetto
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4) Text and critique of "Health Care Security" Initiative [by Anonymous Citizen on January 17, 2008]
Text of ballot language:

"The State legislature shall pass laws to make sure that every Michigan resident has affordable and comprehensive health care coverage through a fair and cost-effective financing system. The Legislature is required to pass a plan that, through public or private measures, controls health care costs and provides for medically necessary preventive, primary, acute and chronic health care needs."

Sen. George floor statement on socialied health care ballot initiative from January 9, 2008:

I rise to comment on a proposed constitutional amendment which would require the state to provide comprehensive health insurance to all its residents. The proponents of this initiative have held press conferences throughout the state, including one in my district yesterday, where they were joined by my neighboring Senator, the Senator from the 19th District.

The group proposes an amendment to our State Constitution requiring us to enact laws to ensure that affordable and comprehensive health care coverage is available to everyone in Michigan. The proposal apparently would make the state provide health insurance to those who are currently uninsured. This proposal, colleagues, is flawed because it fails to include a funding mechanism. It fails to say how the state would pay to expand health insurance to this group.

The cost could be determined by simple math. If there exist one million Michigan residents without insurance, as the proponents say, and the cost of insurance, as called for in the measure, is, say, $3,000-$4,000 per year, than the cost to the state could be as much as $3-$4 billion per year.

The Battle Creek Enquirer reported that Victoria Kovari, a campaign spokeswomen for the group, said that she was confident Michigan residents would support the initiative despite the need for new taxes to implement it. I read that the
Governor and the Lieutenant Governor are endorsing this measure. I also have read elsewhere that the Governor has said she is not supportive of raising any new taxes on the citizens of Michigan. If so, how can these two positions be reconciled? How can we provide comprehensive health care insurance to a million Michigan residents without a huge tax increase? I don’t believe that it can be done.

If it is important that the Legislature make comprehensive health insurance available to all, then why don’t the legislative proponents of this cause introduce such legislation so the rest of us can see how it would work? Rather than hide behind a ballot proposal, which requires no fiscal analysis, I challenge the legislative supporters of this measure to avail themselves of the resources of their elected offices and introduce such legislation so that we can all see it and ask the Senate Fiscal Agency for an analysis of the cost.

The proponents have argued, and I heard the voice of one of my colleagues on a local radio station stating, that there is enough money in the system to cover the uninsured. Well, let us see then what your proposal is and where the money will come from and how you would do it.

I would note that the Governor’s own Michigan First Health Plan would fail to meet the ballot proposal’s requirement of a comprehensive plan. You will recall that her Michigan First plan includes a limited annual benefit. It is not comprehensive, and it is not intended to cover all of the uninsured. So the Governor’s own plan, which the administration has been working on now for over two years and which remains unfunded, would not meet the standard called for in the proposal.

So I would ask the Governor as well how would she modify her Michigan First plan so that it provides the comprehensive coverage for all the uninsured as the ballot proposal calls for and how it would be paid for.

The ballot proposal then is flawed. It lacks any concrete plan or funding mechanism. It is merely a feel-good statement. Its legislative proponents are using it as a campaign tool when they already have the ability to introduce their own plans for universal health coverage in Michigan at any time but have chosen not to do so. I challenge them and the Governor to show us their plan for universal coverage. Let us all in on your secret plan.
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5) Ms. [by beckajones on October 3, 2007]
lets put politicians in charge of deciding what care we need? When did they get their PHD's ?
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6) Yes [by Anonymous Citizen on February 12, 2007]
Just the thing we need in MI. More boards and commissions!
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