Health insurance plan deserves thorough study

State Sen. Tim Gay of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, says he's glad the Nebraska Medical Association came up with a proposal for basic health insurance for all Nebraskans.

"I'm excited they are looking at these tough issues," he told The Associated Press.

Tough enough for most Nebraskans, health insurance is even tougher for farmers, according to the 2007 Health Insurance Survey of Farm and Ranch Operators, released last week.

According to the report, while about 90 percent of farmers and ranchers have some sort of health insurance, more than half of them obtained it through their own or their spouse's off-farm employment.

A fourth reported financial problems because of health insurance costs, and about half of those said they spent $1,700 or more out of their own pocket in 2006.

A fifth said they had incurred medical debt and one in six said they couldn't afford medical services.

Under the NMA's proposal, Medicaid funds would be used to help subsidize private health insurance premiums for those who couldn't afford it.

The proposal recognizes that we already have a universal health care system, but an unfair one that passes the costs of "charity care" and under-reimbursed Medicare and Medicaid bills on to those with private insurance.

Universal health care, designed correctly, should broaden the base of financial support by requiring the young and healthy, who are more likely to go without health insurance, to contribute their fair share.

The NMA plan would require people who file state tax returns, enroll children in school, register vehicles and obtain a driver's license to show proof of health insurance.

Good universal health care, even in the form of major medical insurance, should help revitalize the economy as more workers are willing to become entrepreneurs and leave the security of company benefits behind.

Although the NMA plan is bound to be so expensive as to be frightening, it is one of those tough issues for which only the Legislature can provide leadership.

The issue deserves thorough study, especially as to how it would be implemented among farmers and ranchers, and a good public airing in the Legislature.