Still more details on SF universal healthcare plan

The San Francisco universal healthcare plan recently passed, catching the attention of local and state governments around the country who may try to model their own proposals on it. Here are some of the details of the plan written about in the Contra Costa Times:

All eyes on S.F.'s ambitious universal health care plan
By Sandy Kleffman
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

If it succeeds, other cities and counties may attempt a similar move toward universal health care. But it will not be easy to follow suit.

San Francisco has unique qualities that make it the perfect place to launch such an experiment, many say. ...

San Francisco is both a city and a county, which means it has just one set of leaders to grant approval for such a plan.

It also has a well-established primary care system, a sizable amount of health-care dollars it can redirect, and disproportionately fewer uninsured than many other areas. ...

The goal is to offer health care services to the 82,000 uninsured adults who earn too much to qualify for Medi-Cal, which serves the state's poorest residents.

The program would be open to everyone, regardless of immigration status, income or a pre-existing medical condition.

It differs from typical universal health care proposals in one key aspect: It would provide access to services, rather than insurance. ...

Under the new program, participants would receive preventive care and screening to help ward off chronic conditions or at least identify them early enough so they can be kept from getting worse.

Not only does this result in healthier people, but it also helps lower costs ...

Firms with 20 or more workers have to kick in $1.06 for each hour worked by an employee. Those with more than 100 workers will pay $1.60 per hour.

Companies that already provide health insurance to their employees will be exempt, as long as they spend at least as much as the mandatory contributions. ...

Participation would be optional for the uninsured. Those who do join will have a co-pay based on their income.

The co-pays would range from $3 per month for those at the lowest income levels to $200 per month for those at the highest. ...