MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - July 24 - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will introduce major legislation this week to bring much-needed reform to the nation’s health care system. The State-Based Health Care Reform Act would authorize pilot projects to launch in a few states to achieve health care coverage for all their residents. Rather than dictating how states will achieve universal coverage, the bill provides them with the flexibility to choose their own way of covering all their residents, provided they meet specified minimum requirements. Feingold’s bill is aimed at breaking the political stalemate in Congress that is preventing meaningful health care reform from being enacted.

Over the next six months, Feingold plans to announce a series of proposals addressing some of the domestic issues that have been raised with Senator Feingold in Wisconsin or at Wisconsin Listening Sessions over the years. This proposal addresses the issue that Wisconsinites have raised with him more than any other: health care.

“In my 14 years of holding listening sessions across the state, Wisconsinites have mentioned health care more than any other issue,” Feingold said. “With an American-style approach to reform, that gives flexibility to the states and fuels innovation, real health care reform is within reach. I support guaranteed health care coverage for all Americans and this bill moves us toward that goal.”

Feingold’s State-Based Health Care Reform Act:

Gives flexibility and assistance to the states to achieve universal health care. States are not required to adopt a certain program but are instead given the flexibility to achieve universal coverage through any means deemed appropriate by the state. Coverage must meet certain minimum standards and must include protections for low-income people.

Authorizes funding for pilot projects to launch in a few states to achieve universal health care for all their residents. The pilot programs would last for five years and would be funded through a grant application program overseen by a Health Care Reform Task Force. The Health Care Reform Task Force would evaluate state applications, select state projects, oversee implementation of the states’ proposals and review progress.

Would cost $32 billion over ten years and is fully paid for through offsets, making funding available right away and allowing the program to take effect immediately. The Task Force will be authorized to select as many states as can be funded.

“For too long, Congress has sat on the sidelines while the country’s health care crisis has gotten worse,” Feingold said. “With 46 million Americans struggling without health insurance, we must find a way to break the current stalemate, and that’s what my legislation is all about.”

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Fact Sheet on Feingold’s State-Based Health Care Reform Act

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will introduce the State-Based Health Care Reform Act in order to end the political stalemate in Congress that has been preventing meaningful health coverage from being enacted.

Feingold’s State-Based Health Care Reform Act:

Authorizes funding for pilot projects so that a few states can ensure health care coverage to all their residents.

Gives flexibility to the states to use their own approach to achieve health care coverage for all their residents.

Instead of requiring states to follow a certain program, Feingold’s bill gives states the flexibility to achieve expanded coverage through any system deemed appropriate by a Health Care Reform Task Force.

Overview of Project:

The pilot programs would last for five years and would be funded through a grant application program overseen by the Health Care Reform Task Force established in the legislation.

The Health Care Reform Task Force would evaluate state applications, select state projects, and oversee implementation of the states’ proposals.

Participating states will be required to submit an annual report to the Task Force detailing their progress.

The Task Force will be a committee with members appointed by the Government Accountability Office’s Comptroller General. The Task Force will be housed under Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Secretary of HHS will be a member of the Task Force.

The bill will cost $32 billion over ten years and is fully paid for through offsets, making funding available right away and allowing the program to take effect immediately.

Coverage must meet certain minimum standards and must include protections for low-income people.

Once approved by the Task Force, a state will be required to provide some matching funds.

States are expected to improve the efficiency of health care spending and work to lower health care costs.

The Task Force will be responsible for submitting an evaluation of all pilot projects to Congress at the end of the initial five-year grant period.

The recommendations will be based on states’ experiences, and the bill requires congressional debate of these recommendations and findings.

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