Funding government healthcare

Yesterday, the Vermont Senate Finance committee struggled to figure out how to pay for the Senate’s plan to expand government subsidized health insurance. You can read the BFP coverage of it here.

They decided employers would be assessed a fee for all workers who aren't provided health insurance -- whether they are full-time or part-time. Employers must contribute something toward the cost of the insurance to qualify as providing coverage. The assessment would be $365 a year for each full-time equivalent slot, with three slots exempted from the charge. The assessment would increase by an inflation factor.

With a hole still remaining, they debated adding a tax to carbonated beverages, but rejected the plan because they had not taken testimony about the impact of such a tax.

They finally decided to raise the cigarette tax by 60 cents in the fall and 20 more cents in 2009.

The governor does not approve of the Senate health plan in its current form. It is unlikely to pass this year.

You know, I wish that the state would put the question to a state-wide referendum this fall. I know that we don’t have state-wide referendums, but the legislature could change that. The closest thing we have had was when Clavelle ran for governor on that issue and lost. His loss (and that of the Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate, who also ran on the healthcare issue) should have been a clear message, but the Democrats, who gained seats in the legislature, read their wins as a “yes” vote for a government healthcare plan.

A referendum would give a clear message to all government officials.

Now that people have had a chance to see some of the proposed plans and taxes, they should have a chance to weigh in.