FEINGOLD TO INTRODUCE MAJOR HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL Health Care Bill is First in a Series of Significant Proposals Feingold Will Introduce This Year Addressing Domestic Issues July 24, 2006 Milwaukee, WI – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will introduce major legislation this week to bring much-needed reform to the nation’s health care system. The State-Based Health Care Reform Act would authorize pilot projects to launch in a few states to achieve health care coverage for all their residents. Rather than dictating how states will achieve universal coverage, the bill provides them with the flexibility to choose their own way of covering all their residents, provided they meet specified minimum requirements. Feingold’s bill is aimed at breaking the political stalemate in Congress that is preventing meaningful health care reform from being enacted. Over the next six months, Feingold plans to announce a series of proposals addressing some of the domestic issues that have been raised with Senator Feingold in Wisconsin or at Wisconsin Listening Sessions over the years. This proposal addresses the issue that Wisconsinites have raised with him more than any other: health care. “In my 14 years of holding listening sessions across the state, Wisconsinites have mentioned health care more than any other issue,” Feingold said. “With an American-style approach to reform, that gives flexibility to the states and fuels innovation, real health care reform is within reach. I support guaranteed health care coverage for all Americans and this bill moves us toward that goal.” Feingold’s State-Based Health Care Reform Act: Gives flexibility and assistance to the states to achieve universal health care. States are not required to adopt a certain program but are instead given the flexibility to achieve universal coverage through any means deemed appropriate by the state. Coverage must meet certain minimum standards and must include protections for low-income people. Authorizes funding for pilot projects to launch in a few states to achieve universal health care for all their residents. The pilot programs would last for five years and would be funded through a grant application program overseen by a Health Care Reform Task Force. The Health Care Reform Task Force would evaluate state applications, select state projects, oversee implementation of the states’ proposals and review progress. Would cost $32 billion over ten years and is fully paid for through offsets, making funding available right away and allowing the program to take effect immediately. The Task Force will be authorized to select as many states as can be funded. “For too long, Congress has sat on the sidelines while the country’s health care crisis has gotten worse,” Feingold said. “With 46 million Americans struggling without health insurance, we must find a way to break the current stalemate, and that’s what my legislation is all about.” Read a Fact Sheet on the legislation. Read editorials about the legislation..

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