New Mexico Governor's Health Care Plan

By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer Tue Aug 7, 8:59 PM ET

The New Mexico governor said he could provide coverage to the 45 million uninsured without raising taxes. Instead, Richardson said preventive care would save the nation billions of dollars and additional money could be diverted from spending on the Iraq war.

Richardson estimated that his health care plan would cost between $104 billion to $110 billion a year.

Features of Richardson's health care plan include:

• Lowering the eligibility age for Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly, to 55. He would also expand government health programs for the poor and for children. Young people could stay on their parent's insurance plan until they turn 25, under his proposal.

• Giving veterans a card allowing them to get health benefits at the facility of their choice.

• Requiring that insurance companies not deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and mandating that they spend at least 85 percent of their premiums on health services.

• Increasing the use of technology to increase the efficiency of the health care system.

• Enacting new incentives for preventative health care programs.

• Allowing government health programs to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to get the best price on prescription drugs. His plan also would expand the use of generic drugs.

• Approving new tax breaks for individuals and businesses that pay for their own coverage.

(AP / http://news.yahoo.com )