Abstract

KIE: USHealth is a program proposed by Congressman Roybal to provide catastrophic and basic health coverage for all Americans, regardless of age, income, or illness. It would be managed by the USHealth Administration, an independent off-budget government agency, and would consolidate Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance into a single insurance program. Roybal argues the case for his proposal, focusing on cost-containment; the expansion of coverage to include nursing and long-term care; the prioritization of quality assurance; financing along the lines of the current Medicare model; and commitment to "true" criteria: protection of the uninsured, protection of underinsured working families, short-term catastrophic protection for underinsured persons, containment of health care costs, assurance of quality care, and full financing now and in the foreseeable future.