Social Workers Ask Nationwide Health Coverage

The National Assn. of Social Workers today proposed a national health insurance program for all Americans while raising the nation’s health care bill by at least $40 billion.

The plan would phase out public health care programs, including Medicaid and Medicare, and institute a federally administered plan carried out by the states.

If the program contained a package of basic benefits for everyone, with limited co-payments required for some services and no long-term care coverage, the estimated 1990 U.S. health care bill of $653 billion would rise to $693 billion, the association said.

Long-term care benefits would add about $46 billion. With that included, the total would jump to $740 billion, or 13% higher than the amount the nation currently spends on health care.

Mark Battle, the association’s executive director, said that despite the high price tag, the plan makes sense because “it will save costs in the long run.”