Peter Harbage

SACRAMENTO — Spurning Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to guarantee health insurance for all Californians, Republican leaders in the state Senate offered a far more modest alternative Tuesday, intended to increase clinics for the poor and encourage the purchase of high-deductible policies covering catastrophes.The plan aspires to make medical care and insurance easier to obtain for about 1 million of the state's 6.5 million residents who do not have insurance. But unlike the proposals from Schwarzenegger and the Democrats… more

This week, President Bush offered tax deductions for individuals buying health care insurance. Who does this help? Lisa Napoli does the math.KAI RYSSDAL: There was lots of coverage this week of the president's State of the Union address. We thought today we'd zero in on one slice of what he offered up--health care. You've probably heard by now that Mr. Bush wants to change the way health benefits are taxed. The president says that ultimately it'll help more… more

If Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of the biggest state, with one of the most diverse economies in the nation, can bring about a program of universal health insurance, then it stands to reason that other states can as well. Or can they? California does represent a broad cross-section of the country. But the Schwarzenegger plan is a delicately hung chandelier of federal matching dollars and mutual sacrifice, much of it carefully arrayed about that state's unique political… more

California is not the first state to aim for universal health coverage. But the plan that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) announced last week stands out for its ambition. Of the earlier pioneers, Maine and Vermont are small, and Massachusetts started with relatively few uninsured people in the first place. But California is the nation's most populous state. Fully 19.4 percent of its residents lack insurance, a share that's higher than the national average. If the governor's plan makes it through… more

Partial Transcipt:

WOLF BLITZER, CNN: ... It's a bold and controversial move. The California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, calling for universal health insurance in his state. Is it, though, part of a national trend? Let's turn to CNN's Mary Snow. She's joining us from New York with the story -- Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, with no clear solutions in sight, health experts say many states will be looking to California for answers on how to fix healthcare.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SNOW… more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- To succeed with his plan to extend health care to 6.5 million uninsured Californians, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have to find common ground between groups that often are at odds...

"I look forward to everyone now having those debates," Schwarzenegger said..."There are a lot of people around the table."

Under the proposal, all Californians must have insurance, although the poorest will be subsidized. Those who go uncovered will be subject to tax penalties. Businesses with 10 or… more

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday proposed a sweeping overhaul of the way health care is purchased and delivered in California that would mandate new contributions from employers, individuals, health plans, health care providers and the government...The governor's proposal would shift costs so the insured are not paying higher premiums to offset the costs of treating uninsured patients who flood emergency rooms when they get sick. Those costs boost premiums for the insured as much as 10 percent, according… more

(SACRAMENTO – January 8, 2007) – Given the complexity of California and the reach of this health care proposal, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has offered a vision that represents a giant step toward the resolution of a problem that has vexed America’s policymakers for years.

Many other states are exploring solutions to rising costs and the deterioration we’re seeing in America’s health care system. But Gov. Schwarzenegger’s map for covering all Californians far exceeds the scope of any other effort and… more

Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger touted a new study Monday that shows the average family pays a $1,200 "hidden tax" to subsidize health care for the uninsured.

But the governor, who is in the process of developing plans for reforming the state's health care system, once again rejected the idea that taxes should be raised to pay for coverage of the estimated 6.5 million uninsured Californians...

Analysis from the New American Foundation shows that the average California family of four with… more

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday that his plan for reforming California's health care system will not include new taxes, but he did not rule out considering legislative proposals that do...

Monday, the governor laid the groundwork for a debate over why individuals should be prepared to shoulder part of the burden when he cited a new report that said people with insurance are already paying higher premiums to offset some of the costs of treating the uninsured...

The report the governor cited,… more