Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, MO, 8th District meets with Physicians to discuss healthcare reform.

From The Washington Times:

By Gregory Lopes

Momentum for universal health care picked up a bit of steam this week when several Republicans from the House and Senate joined Democrats in backing a bill aimed at guaranteeing health care coverage for all.

The bill’s primary author, Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, introduced the measure earlier this year. This week, it gained the support of Sen. Robert F. Bennett, Utah Republican; and Reps. Brian Baird, Washington Democrat, and Jo Ann Emerson, Missouri Republican.

Though guaranteed coverage for the 46 million uninsured Americans remains a distant reality, the new bipartisan support may indicate Congress will begin work on health care reform this year rather than wait for the outcome of the presidential election.

Mr. Wyden’s legislation would essentially wipe out employer-sponsored health coverage. Under the bill, private health insurers would provide coverage to individuals directly, rather than through employers, and employers would initially shift funds currently used to pay for coverage to employee wages.

Over time, employers would pay the federal government a health insurance contribution. The legislation would require individuals to use the funds contributed by employers to buy through state purchasing pools private health insurance, which would provide coverage at the same level as the BlueCross BlueShield Standard Plan offered to federal employees. Read more…

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