Arizona has a form of universal health care for the self-employed.
Not many know about it...does John McCain?
If so, would he support such a system on the federal level?
Someone should ask him!
I live in Arizona and I'm self-employed. I am my only employee.
As you know, if you're self-employed it is very hard to get health care insurance, let alone affordable health care insurance.
Having moved to Arizona from Canada in 1994 I understood that I would have to procure insurance for myself and started to shop around. Over the next several years about a half dozen agents submitted my applications to various insurance carriers, all rejecting me for one reason or another, or I rejecting them for too high premiums.
In 1997, I was finally able to find an insurance company that would accept me and I got on a plan that cost me about $80.00 a month. However, every time I made a claim -- no matter how minor the cost or injury -- I found that my premiums would increase. Indeed, within 5 years, the premiums had skyrocketed to over $600.00 a month.
So I was forced to shop around once again. Out of sheer luck, an agent told me about a State of Arizona sponsored program called "Health Care Group of Arizona" (found at http://www.healthcaregroupaz.com/ ) which provides health care plans for the self-employed and businesses of 50 employees or less (including those that are just one single employee, such as myself).
I've been on the program for about 5 years and I pay about $330.00 a month in premiums which includes dental (I'm a 53 year old male).
And here's the amazing thing: as long as you can prove that you've been self-employed for at least 6 months, they accept everyone.
And if you have a pre-existing condition?
You are accepted, too, with the proviso that if you're coming from the situation of having no insurance you have to wait 12 months before coverage will kick in for that pre-existing condition. If you're coming from the situation of being insured and that pre-existing condition is covered, you get coverage that includes the pre-existing coverage from day one.
This, my friends, is essentially universal health coverage. Sure, it is only available to a select group of Arizona residents -- the self-employed -- but this criteria is not one based upon age, sex, or health status, nor does it exclude pre-existing conditions. Certainly then, the program therefore qualifies as a genuine form of universal health care, wouldn't you agree?
What I would like to know is: would John McCain support such a program -- one that has proven itself to work in his own home state -- on the federal level? We, the self-employed, are a unique "class" of citizens in that current group insurance rules and regulations don't really take us into account. This fact, therefore, makes our unique situation ripe for such special attention.
Here's the thing: not many people actually know about this program. It's the state's best-kept secret. Why? Because there is not really much incentive on the part of insurance agents to get the information about it out there and the program doesn't really advertise itself. Indeed, I would be surprised if McCain himself was familiar with it...I wasn't and I had the need for it!
Someone on the campaign trail has got to ask him about it.