Stark Says Health Plan Would Fit Into Budget: Employers Would Pay 80 of Premium
The- nntinnnt health plan spou-soretTby. Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark .(D-Calif.) will be fully funded and will not increase the federal deficit, according to preliminary estimates released by Stark last night,A congressional subcommittee, is.to begin voting on the plan nexFweek.</br></br>Because of widespread public fears that health reform could causefhealth costs to rise sharply, the Stark plan would have no chance of passage if it increased the federal deficit. President ClintonÛªs plan was sharply attacked when the Congressional Budget Office said it would boost the deficit by $74 billion over six years.</br></br>Stark's proposal would require employers to pay 80 percent of the premiums for health insurance policies for their workers. It also would create a mew federal "Medicare</br></br>Part C" program that would cover the unemployed, the poor, 35 million people currently insured by Medicaid and some employees of small businesses, Cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and some new taxes would help offset costs, and the 39 million Americans who lack health insurance would be covered.</br></br>The figures released last night were developed by the staff of Stark's House Ways and Means subcommittee on health "in consultation with the staff of the Congressional Budget Office," and they cover only the year 2000, not the usual five-year period, Stark said.