Universal Coverage, Universal Responsibility: A Plan to Make Coverage Mandatory and Affordable for Individuals

Publication Date:

Publisher: Economic and Social Research Institute

Author(s): M. Calabrese

Research Area: Health

Type: White Paper

Abstract:

Michael Calabrese proposes a tax-credit plan that would achieve universal coverage by mandating that all Americans maintain a minimum level of coverage and that all employers contribute to its cost. To make coverage affordable, the federal government would ensure that no family had to pay more than 10 percent of its income for health coverage and that no employer had to pay more than 6 percent of payroll. To ensure portability and continuity of coverage over time and from job to job, individuals would be given incentives to buy coverage through Community Insurance Pools rather than being covered by their employers. The objective is to move from job-based coverage to "citizen-based" coverage.