Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, legislative leaders and a coalition of business executives presented a united front Thursday, calling for an overhaul of California's health care system.

But midway through the legislative session that ends Sept. 14, Democrats and Republicans remain divided on how to reduce costs and the ranks of the more than 6.5 million Californians without insurance.

"Everyone is in sync that we need health care reform," the governor said at a Capitol news conference to tout the formation of the Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reform, a business group...

Five overhaul proposals are being considered in the Capitol, including competing plans by Democrats and Republicans in each house of the Legislature. Even more coalitions have been established by groups protecting their turf...

Schwarzenegger's plan seeks to bridge the differences between the parties by requiring both employers and employees to contribute to their health coverage.

The governor's plan would cover more people than any other proposal -- and require hospitals and doctors to subsidize insurance for the poor.

"The sad story is that the (people) who are insured pay for the uninsured," Schwarzenegger said, alluding to a study by the New America Foundation that found the average family with insurance pays $1,200 a year to subsidize health care for the uninsured. "So what we want to do is get rid of the hidden tax..."

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