Schwarzenegger continues to put the spotlight on California health insurance reform and spoke with Washington leaders about getting more funding.

According to the North County Times, California Governor Schwarzenegger met with Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to ask for federal help for his universal health insurance plan.

Schwarzenegger's $12 billion plan to cover all California residents has met with resistance from both Republicans and Democrats in the California Legislature - so he's looking for endorsement from the White House.

California has long been a leader in reform, so Schwarzenegger is hoping California will lead the way in providing medical coverage to the millions of uninsured Americans.

Schwarzenegger is against Bush's proposed cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIPS (State Children's Health Insurance Program). Cuts in these programs would make his plan for free coverage for the poor difficult to implement.

While Schwarzenegger's optimism is admirable, one of his suggestions wasn't such a great idea: he told President Bush to set up a cigar smoking tent where lawmakers can mingle.

Even though it's probably a good idea for Schwarzenegger to quit smoking, it's encouraging to see such a high profile governor take a stand on health insurance. Lowering health insurance costs so that every American family has
affordable family health insurance is a goal more lawmakers should focus on.

A bipartisan group of governors will ask the Bush administration for more funding for child health insurance at the annual meeting of the National Governors Association.

WFMZ News reports that U.S. law makers are working to get more federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, SCHIP.

14 states, including Georgia and New Jersey are expected to run out of SCHIP money before the next budget year, according to Canadian Press.

The child health insurance program started in 1997 and covers children from low-income families who can't afford to buy private medical coverage. The federal government has been planning on cutting the budget for this program, and that's why the bipartisan group of governors is putting pressure on the White House to increase the SCHIP budget.

The governors want enough money to keep the program going and they want Bush to change his budget. Health insurance has been the hot topic in politics, and hopefully all this attention will lead to affordable family health insurance for everyone.

The Federation for American Hospitals, the largest hospital operators in the U.S., are in favor of universal health insurance , according to Business Week.

The federation, made up of Universal Health Services Inc., Tenet Healthcare Corp., and health South Corp., wants the government to help pay for health care plans for low-income Americans. The proposed plan automatically enrolls low-income individuals and families, and those not eligible for public health programs but who can't afford to pay for medical coverage would receive subsidies to help them enroll in private health plans.

It's in the hospitals best interest for more people to be covered. "Their objective is very clear; they want more of their potential patients to have coverage," says Paul Ginsburg, president of Center for Studying Health System Change. Many hospitals have debt problems after treating patients who can't afford to pay.

Other large organizations, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., have gone to Washington to put more attention on health insurance reform. Hopefully these proposals will put pressure on politicians to make it part of their platforms.

Providing affordable medical coverage is receiving national attention because 47 million Americans aren't insured. Sarah Berk, executive director of Health Care America, says, "There is enough money in our health care system, so it's a matter of how we spend it."

A recent survey shows that 91% of Americans think that health insurance reform is needed, but there isn't agreement about how much should change.

In the online poll, according to the Cherry Creek News, 46% believe that major reform is needed, while another 46% think minor change is required.

Americans are split as to whether a private or public health care system is the answer. 25% want a private health insurance system where individuals or employers are responsible for health insurance, and 24% want a publicly funded universal health plan where the government provides health services for all citizens.

Over half the people polled, 56%, want state laws that make health coverage mandatory, while 33% are against such regulations. Massachusetts and California health insurance are currently mandated.

Even though a majority of people think that health care reform is needed, opinions differ as to how change should be implemented. 55% of respondents gave the current U.S. health insurance system a negative rating; clearly change is needed.

If you're an individual, family, or small business interested in getting affordable health insurance quotes, there are many plans to choose from. Even though change in the system is needed, it's always a good idea to be covered. Hopefully, with more people enrolling, the overall price for everyone will decrease.

A new health insurance plan for farmers in Wisconsin is being eyed around the U.S. as a possible model for health care reform.

According to The Northwestern, the Farmers' Health Cooperative of Wisconsin has created a first-of-its-kind health plan that provides group coverage to farmers and agriculture related workers.

The new plan was created because farmers previously had to pay higher rates as individuals for plans with less benefits. The costly individual plans put a strain on farmers, and sometimes a spouse would work off the farm just to get insurance.

With the new group insurance rates, farmers and their families will be able to get lower rates and attract workers. The new plans aren't expected to be cheap, but they'll be competitive. And farmers will get better health benefits under the group rates.

Individual and family health plans in the farmer's cooperative will start at $300 deductibles for individuals up to $5000 for families. Benefits will include workplace injuries, which aren't covered in current plans.

18% of Wisconsin dairy farmers don't have health insurance, and 41% can't afford coverage for every family member. Hopefully the $2.4 million of federal funding used to start the farmer's cooperative will help make more people get covered with the group health insurance rates.

There are 72,000 farmers in Wisconsin, and it's unclear as to how many will need to sign up in order for the cooperative plan to work. The new plan is through Aetna Health Insurance and offers a statewide network of 125 hospitals, 500 care facilities, and over 17,000 doctors and practitioner in Wisconsin.

If this new Wisconsin health plan works for farmers, other states may create similar programs.

According to SF Gate, the cost of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's health insurance plan proposal to make health coverage more accessible in California may have been underestimated by as much as $3 billion a year.

Schwarzenegger's proposal requires California residents to have health insurance and mandates employers with 10 or more workers to either provide health insurance or pay a state tax.

The new plan, which will cost $12 million, aims to cover 6.5 million uninsured Californians. But the number of uninsured may have been underestimated, and the new plan didn't take into account the possibility that a portion of federal money may not be approved.

Though some parts of the proposal had been criticized, Senator Darrell Steinberg says, "There seems to be a spoken or unspoken compact among everyone interested in this not to give up the points of disagreement but to find a way to make this work."

That's good news, because making medical coverage more accessible is an important issue in America.

It's always a good idea to have health insurance, and affordable medical insurance quotes can be found online. It's important to compare plans and find one that has the benefits you need.

Ten senators have given President Bush a blueprint for health insurance reform, according to The Houston Chronicle.

The 10 senators, made up of 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans, told President Bush they've agreed on a plan to increase health coverage, and they'd like to continue working on it with President Bush.

The White House, eager for positive attention on Bush's domestic agenda, was quick to agree to work with the senators on the bipartisan health insurance plan.

The plan has two major points:

• The plan acknowledges the need for legislation that ensures affordable health insurance for all Americans, while protecting Medicare and Medicaid
  
• The plan agrees with Bush that current tax laws for health insurance favor the rich and promote inefficiency
  

The 1st point may be a stretch for some Republicans, and the 2nd point may not find favor with Democrats.

Democrats have spoken out against Bush's proposal to count employer provided health insurance as taxable income, plus a $15,000 tax credit for families and $7,500 for individuals. But the lawmakers behind the new blueprint say they aren't endorsing Bush's plan; they're just acknowledging that current tax rules aren't working.

This attention towards lowering the cost of health insurance so more Americans get medical coverage is a step in the right direction. Costs will decrease if everyone is covered. The good news is that with a little comparison shopping, it's easy to find a plan that provides the coverage you need. Affordable health insurance quotes are available online so you can get a plan that fits into your budget.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, people who buy individual health insurance policies need to be aware of possible gaps in coverage.

One woman, Phyllis Mroz, learned about medical insurance gaps the hard way: she found out that a standard medical procedure that could save her life wouldn't be covered until she had her health plan for 12 months. But Mroz knew that her chances of survival would drastically decrease if she didn't get the procedure right away.

Mroz had health insurance for the past 35 years through her husband's plan; he was a high school music teacher and band director. When Mroz's husband retired, she realized that she could buy an individual health plan for less than it cost to remain in the school district's policy.

Remaining in the school policy would've cost the family $18,000 a year. But as a real estate agent in good health, Mroz could buy an individual plan for $221.00 per month, or $2,652 a year with a $1,500 deductible.

It was the first time Mroz bought her own health insurance plan, and she wasn't alone. Even though most people get health insurance at work, more and more people are shopping for their own health coverage. Over 17 million people under 65 have their own health insurance.

After enrolling in her new plan, Mroz was diagnosed with leukemia. She needed a stem cell transplant that could cost $200,000. The procedure would increase her chance of survival by 60%. Not having the operation would increase the chance of the cancer returning by 90%.

Her insurance company denied her coverage because Mroz had not yet had the policy for 12 months. All because of a one-sentence exclusion in a 42-page document - the insurance company didn't cover transplants for the first year.

Mroz and her family tried to convince her insurance company to approve the procedure, but they declined her case because they stated it wouldn't be fair to other policy holders if they gave her special treatment.

But after a reporter contacted the insurance company inquiring about the 12-month exclusion policy, a new plan was introduced, and the insurance company called Mroz telling her they had found a way to help her.

Mroz didn't know everything about her health insurance policy because she had only read the 2-page summary of the plan. She's not alone; most people don't read the whole 42-page plan.

Mroz's experience shows how important it is to learn as much as you can about your health insurance plan. Find out if there are exclusions so you know what's covered.

As more people buy private health insurance, it's good to know that affordable health insurance quotes are available online. Just be sure to find out as much about your plan as possible.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Governor Rick Perry of Texas proposed to sell the state lottery to help provide health insurance to uninsured Texans.

Perry's wants to sell the Texas lottery for $14 billion. $2.7 billion would go towards universal health insurance coverage, and $3 billion to cancer fighting fund.

Texas has the highest number of uninsured in the country: 25% of Texans don't have medical insurance. That's about 5.6 million people, according to Austin Business Journal.

The Texas lottery made $3.77 billion in 2006; $1 billion of that went to education. Critics of Perry's plan question whether the lottery can even be sold for the hoped for $14 billion.

Other states have considered selling their lotteries, but no state has done so yet. Whether or not Perry's proposal gets passed, Texas is not alone in needing a plan to make health insurance more affordable, especially to low-income Americans.

Everyone wants to fix the problem, but how can we make sure that every household has affordable family health insurance? Many are against raising taxes, so is Perry's lottery plan right on the money?

According to the Guardian Unlimited, presidential candidate John Edwards wants every American to have affordable health insurance by 2012.

While other presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have also spoken in favor of a universal health plan, only Edwards has given a specific plan of how he'll get there - through raising taxes.

In the past, campaign platforms based on raising taxes means political suicide. But Edwards believes that voters are ready for changes in the American health coverage system and are ready to pay for it.

Edwards hopes that people will see the benefits of proving medical insurance to the 47 million uninsured Americans. Edwards' plan includes requiring employers to cover workers, government-funded insurance for adults and children living in poverty, and tax credits.

Edwards was not always an advocate of universal health insurance, but it's become an important issue for him after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. After struggling through the red tape of insurance bureaucracy, and after meeting so many Americans struggling to pay for health care, Edwards decided he wanted to be a leader in changing the system.

Making sure everyone has quality care has become a priority for Edwards, and it'll be interesting to see how voters will respond to his campaign.

Will voters decide that making family health insurance affordable for parents and children living below the poverty level is worth a tax increase? Or will Americans decide that any raise in taxes is a bad idea?

According to the Associated Press Bush's $2.9 trillion budget proposal includes cuts in benefit programs like Medicare and social security in an attempt balance the federal budget.

Medicare health insurance, which covers 43 million older and disabled Americans, would be the main program impacted by these cuts through higher premiums for higher income Medicare recipients.

The cuts in big health plans like Medicare and Medicaid are meant to save the federal government $78 billion over 5 years.

Bush wants to charge Medicare health insurance beneficiaries $11.5 billion more in monthly premiums in order to help balance the budget.

While Medicare and Medicaid expenses are cut, the budget for Iraq is increasing to from $600.3 billion in 2007 to $624.6 billion in 2008.

Bush's budget proposal has launched heated debates in Congress, especially with Democrats.

Even with raised premiums, many Medicare plans have gaps that leave people paying out of pocket.

Whether or not Bush's budget gets passed, it's a good idea to know what's covered in your medical insurance. Medicare supplemental health insurance quotes are available online to help pay for Medicare gaps.

According to France24, the son of a deceased 9/11 police officer met with President Bush to get more medical coverage for Ground Zero rescue workers.

Ceasar Borja, a 21-year old college student, urged President Bush to provide funding for everyone suffering from 9/11 related health problems.

Borja's father, Cesar Borja, age 52, died last week of lung problems related to working at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks.

Thousands of others who either live around the rubble or have sifted through it report respiratory problems.

Borja was satisfied with Bush's promise of $25 million as a down payment toward helping people with 9/11 related health problems, but many say it's just a drop in the bucket.

Mount Sinai Hospital estimates that $256 million is needed to treat everyone reporting 9/11 related health problems.

Borja says that his father was fortunate enough to have his own health insurance, but many suffering don't have health coverage and pay out of pocket for doctor's appointments and medicine.

Let's hope President Bush listens to this young man and makes sure that everyone suffering from 9/11 related illnesses receives health insurance benefits so they can be taken care of.

An Austin based think tank proposed strategies for getting affordable health insurance to many Texans who are currently uninsured, according to the StarTelegram.

The nonpartisan Texas Health Institute suggested a 12-step plan that could cover half of the Texans without health insurance. The plan covers 2.7 million workers, children, students and low-income adults.

The plan would cost Texas $1.65 billion state dollars and $1.7 billion federal dollars - or roughly $1,330 per person.

The idea behind the health insurance plan is to tap into Texas's current budget surplus in order to get health insurance to the 1 of 4 Texans who are without health coverage.

The institute isn't lobbying for change, but will track any proposed legislation.

Some interesting findings of the think tank include the following statistics:

• 72% of uninsured Texans have households with at least 1 full-time worker
  
• 40% of uninsured families make $40,000 a year
  
• Almost %50 of uninsured live in Texas's five largest urban counties
  
• The counties with the highest concentration of uninsured live along the Texas-Mexico border
  

It seems like every state, from California to New York, is struggling with the same problem - the high number of people without health insurance.

Affordable family health insurance quotes are available online. If you don't get health coverage through an employer, your best bet is to compare plans to find a good plan that fits into your budget.