Catching Up With Single Payer Health Care Insurance For Delaware

The special public meeting held November 6th for HB 74 Single payer got a teensy bit of media play. It didn't get much direct public attention either. That may change when the bill's sponsors bring the meeting to New Castle and Sussex Counties in 2014.

(WBOC) Michael Chesney reports ~ Del. Committee Hears Single-Payer Health Care System Bill

DOVER, Del. (WBOC)- A single-payer health care system in Delaware was what was up for discussion Wednesday night at Legislative Hall, even though the Delaware General Assembly is out of session.
A single-payer system is government-run health care. The state, not private insurance companies, would handle all health care costs.
HB 74 would create that system in Delaware. It was introduced back in April. But its sponsor requested it be heard outside of session. So, it was a very small crowd on-hand in the house chamber to discuss the specifics of the single-payer healthcare system plan. According to Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark South, the bill's sponsor, the state would pay for the system mainly through a payroll tax for employers, federal medicare and medicaid money and a personal income tax increase of 2.5 percent.
"The first instinct is you're going to increase my tax," he said. "If you're decreasing the current money you pay for health care, if you decrease the cost of co-pays, deductibles, if you eliminate those, you'll find that 2.5-percent is a savings compared to what you're paying now."

(DPR) Don Rush reports for AP ~ Few Yet to Sign Up in Delaware for Coverage Under ACA

Single Payer Considered
While the nation’s attention has been focused on the rollout of the Affordable Care Act website there was a quiet public hearing in Delaware’s Legislative Hall last night contemplating another kind of health care coverage.
That is a single-payer system in which the state and not private insurance companies would handle all health care costs.
It was introduced back in April but its author Representative Jon Kowalko (D-New South) wanted to hold the hearing outside of the legislative session which begins in January.
WBOC reports that under the legislation the system would be mainly paid for through a payroll tax for employers, federal Medicare and Medicaid money money as well as a personal income tax increase of 2.5 percent. 
There were a few questions from the public at the hearing but no one spoke against the idea.
If the legislation were to get approval in Delaware it would still be a few years away before taking effect.
Nationally, both the Clinton and Obama administrations discarded such an option focusing their attention on reforming the private sector.

And (WDDE) April Hall reports about the meeting HERE

From HB 74 sponsor State Rep. John Kowalko's facebook ~

HB 74 would establish a single payer system to provide healthcare in Delaware.

The text of the bill can be found in the link below, followed by the synopsis of the bill.

http://www.legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS147.NSF/vwLegislation/HB+74

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HB 74: An Act to Amend Title 31 of the Delaware Code Relating to Health Insurance

This Delaware Health Security Act will provide a cost effective single payer health care system for the State of Delaware. The Act will provide comprehensive health care coverage to all Delawareans without any extra health insurance or out-of-pocket- expense. The system will save money currently wasted on administrative/overhead costs and will provide a stable funding structure.

This Act creates the Delaware Health Security Authority. The authority will be governed by a 15-member Delaware Health Security Board comprised as follows: the Secretary of Health And Social Services, two members from both the State House of Representatives and State Senate Committees concerned with health care issues, five members from state health professional organizations, and five members from eligible consumer organizations in our state.

Funding for the new health care system will be as follows:

All state and federal funds available for health and health care costs in Delaware;

Employer and employee graduated payroll tax from 4 percent for employers with less than ten employees to 9 percent for employers with 50 or more employees;

A Health Security tax of 2.5 percent on net taxable income (after deductions) for all heads of households and persons subject to Delaware's income tax; and

An additional Health Security income surtax on net taxable income of 2.5 percent for persons filing a Delaware income tax return in excess of $250,000. Married couples filing a joint Delaware income tax return shall pay an additional income surtax of 2.5 percent on net taxable income in excess of $500,000.

Public hearing on single-payer bill draws little attention - See more at: http://www.wdde.org/52601-delaware-single-payer-bill-hearing#sthash.9R3wUbJd.dpuf

Public hearing on single-payer bill draws little attention - See more at: http://www.wdde.org/52601-delaware-single-payer-bill-hearing#sthash.9R3wUbJd.dpuf

Also see Pandora's post on Delaware Liberal ~ Anybody Else Longing For Single Payer?

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