August 4th, 2009

Reports the Standard-Speaker:

Two major health insurance providers in the region, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Northeastern Pennsylvania and Geisinger Health Plan, think the federal government should require Americans to have insurance. But the companies are uneasy about having the government provide that insurance.

“We don’t think a government-run option would work,” Blue Cross spokesman Anthony Matrisciano said while referring to an analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. The analysis said a health plan that expands Medicare or subsidizes insurance for Americans earning less than 150 percent of the poverty level would add to budget deficits in the long run.

State House Majority Leader, Rep. Todd Eachus, D-116, Hazleton, however, said Pennsylvanians are familiar with government-run health programs. The federal government offers care for seniors through Medicare and for veterans. The state provides health insurance at low-cost through the AdultBasic program for which there is a waiting list, and anyone 19 or younger is eligible for free care through the state’s Children’s’ Health Insurance Program.

Those programs indicate to Eachus, who serves on a presidential task force, that government programs can help bring insurance to those who lack it. Eachus said the ranks of the 46 million uninsured Americans include 1 million Pennsylvanians and 25,000 residents of Luzerne County.

“What we’ve done in Pennsylvania is not so scary. It shouldn’t be a fear of losing your options. I think it will keep insurance companies honest,” he said of government insurance.

A federal insurance program could set the services offered and the price. Private insurers that wanted to compete would have to offer the same coverage, Eachus said.

“I don’t see why in this great country we can’t find a way to guarantee for people to get a fair price for insurance, not a free ride,” Eachus said.

Read more about what Pennsylvanians are saying at the Standard-Speaker.